NANDIN MOVES TO A SIDE FOR A VIEW OF THE LORD, FOR NANDANAAR. Sri Sivaloganathar temple – Tirupungur. Tamilnadu. In the 7th century a dalit(Untouchable) who was born in a place called Adanoor, used to be a farm help or an agricultural labour, apart from doing odd jobs including that of a drummer, a village servant, a watchman, a town crier who used to beat drums, a leather mender who used to make the leather pliable for drums. He was from the Pulayar caste. Pulayars are noted for their music, craftsmanship, and for certain dances which include Kōlam-thullal, a mask dance which is part of their exorcism rituals, as well as the Mudi-attam or hair-dance which has its origins in a fertility ritual. This untouchable became the great devotee of Lord Shiva and was listed as the 18th Nayanar in the list of 63 Nayanars. His name was Nandanaar. Nandanaar would postpone his journey to Chidambaram to see the celestial dance of Lord Shiva in the form of Nataraja. Every day he would say “I will g
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