Perini- Shiva Tandavam, the Dance of Death and war

The Tandavam is the divine dance of Lord Shiva. Shiva’s Tandava is a vigorous dance that is the source of the cycle of creation, preservation and dissolution. While the Rudra Tandava depicts his violent nature, first as the creator and later as the destroyer of the universe, even of death itself; the Ananda Tandava depicts him as the enjoyer of his creation – the universe.

There are 32 Angaharas and 108 Karanas. The Karana is the combination of hand gestures with feet to form a dance posture. Angahara is composed of seven or more Karanas. 108 karanas included in Tandava could be employed in the course of dance, fight, and personal combats and in other special movements like strolling.

The Perini Dance form depicts the fight and personal combat movements required in martial arts and warfare. It is a dance of the warriors. This dance form was usually enacted before the idol of Lord Shiva by the warriors before they left for the battle field. The dance form, Perini, reached its pinnacle during the rule of the Kakatiyas who established their dynasty at Warangal and ruled for almost two centuries.

The Perini is a vigorous dance done to the resounding beats of drums. The group of dancers moves to the sound of laya and drive themselves to a state of mental abstraction where they feel the power of Shiva in their body. While invoking Shiva, each dancer offers his body and invites Shiva to come into them.

It was believed to take the dancer/ warrior into a state of trance and war frenzy, which helped him in his combat and fight.

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