How do the solar and lunar
lineages affect the dance?
The solar and lunar lineages directly
influence which foot Lord Shiva plants during his cosmic dance, as they
represent the underlying masculine and feminine energies of the ruling
dynasties at each temple:
- The Solar Lineage (Cholas at Chidambaram): The Chola dynasty belonged to the Solar lineage, and the Sun is considered a hot, masculine planet. To reflect the vigor and masculinity of the sun, the dance at Chidambaram features Shiva with his right foot planted. Because the right side of Shiva's form represents the male half, this posture perfectly aligns with the solar dominance and authority of the Chola kings.
- The
Lunar Lineage (Pandyas at Madurai): The Pandya dynasty, whose capital was Madurai, belonged
to the Lunar lineage. In contrast to the sun, the Moon is considered a cool,
feminine planet. Therefore, to give importance to this feminine lunar
energy, the dance in Madurai features Shiva with his left foot planted
and his right foot raised. Since the left side of his body represents
the female half, this unique posture beautifully harmonizes with the lunar
lineage of the Pandyas and highlights the greatness of femininity in a
region ruled by Goddess Meenakshi.
