Perini Sivatandavam
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A vigorous dance of the Kakatiya age, once performed by warriors before Lord Shiva before going to battle, and revived in the twentieth century.
MartialWhere: Telangana, especially Warangal and the Kakatiya temple regionOccasion: Shiva temple festivals, Maha Shivaratri and stage performances
| Performed by | Traditionally men; today mostly trained male dancers in groups |
|---|---|
| Costume | Dhoti tied in warrior style, bare upper body, ankle bells and sacred ash or tilak on the forehead |
| Music and instruments | Loud drums with cymbals and conch, and songs in praise of Shiva |
How it is performed
- The dancers begin with an invocation to Shiva, often before an image of Nataraja.
- Drums set a strong rhythm and the dancers move with powerful leaps, stamps and turns.
- Postures and gestures, many copied from temple sculptures, show Shiva's cosmic dance (tandava).
- The tempo rises until the dancers seem to lose themselves in devotion, as the warriors were believed to do before battle.
Significance
Perini is described in the Nritta Ratnavali, a thirteenth-century dance treatise by the Kakatiya general Jayapa Senani, and its poses can be seen in Ramappa Temple carvings. The dance had nearly disappeared before it was revived by the scholar and dancer Nataraja Ramakrishna.