Perini Shivatandavam

The name Perini is derived from the Sanskrit‑root “Prerana” which means ‘inspiration’, ‘motivation’ or ‘that which impels forward’. True to its name, the dance was performed by the warrior clans of the Kākatīya empire — the Vīraśaivas, Māheśvaras, Pāśupatas and others — as a means of arousing heroic energy (vīra rasa) and fierce wrath (raudra rasa) just before a military campaign. The dancers invoked Lord Shiva to “enter their bodies and dance through them”, a state of intense spiritual and physical absorption that was believed to render them fearless. The dance is also referred to as the ‘Dance of Warriors’ and is strictly a male domain, though temple sculptures occasionally depict celestial dancers (devanartakīs) in similar stances.

Perini belongs to the Tāṇḍava tradition – the dynamic, masculine aspect of dance associated with Shiva’s cosmic destruction and creation. It is characterised by quick tempo (druta laya), powerful footwork, high jumps, pirouettes (bhramarīs) and vigorous arm movements that mimic the swinging of weapons. The dance was presented on special elevated platforms (balipīṭham) in front of temple sanctums, lit with oil lamps, where the king and queen could witness it.

The most detailed textual source for Perini is the seventh chapter of Nṛttaratnāvalī (1253–54 CE), written by the Kākatīya commander Jayapa Senani. Being a warrior himself, Jayapa had first‑hand knowledge of the dance and its martial context. The chapter devotes many verses to Perini, classifying it as a deśī (regional) form and describing its technical, ritual and aesthetic components. Below is a systematic compilation of everything Jayapa tells us about Perini.

📜 A. Classification & Character

• Deśī Nṛtta: Jayapa explicitly classifies Perini as a deśī nṛtta (indigenous/regional dance), as opposed to the pan‑Indian mārga tradition of Bharata.
• Śaivite & Tāṇḍava: The dance is dedicated to Lord Shiva, specifically to his fierce Tāṇḍava aspect. It invokes Prerana (inspiration) from Shiva, the Supreme Dancer (Nataraja).
• Vīra & Raudra Rasas: The dominant sentiments are heroism (vīra) and wrath (raudra), which were considered essential for warriors entering combat.

🧘‍♂️ B. Qualifications & Training of the Dancer

• Male Dancers only: Perini is an exclusively male dance form, performed by young, physically fit warriors who were also devotees of Shiva (Vīraśaivas).
• Mastery of Aṅgas: Jayapa states that a Perini dancer must be well‑grounded in the basic aṅgas (limb movements), karaṇas (108 basic units), aṅgahāras (sequences), bhramarīs (pirouettes) and the five pañcāṅgas of the Perini repertoire (see below). He must be equally proficient in Tāṇḍava and Lāsya elements, though the overall style is uddhata (vigorous).
• Vocal & Instrumental Skill: The dancer should have a sweet voice, mastery of rhythm (tāla), and the ability to synchronise his movements with the mṛdaṅgam, huḍukkā and other drums. He should also be eloquent and ready‑witted to adapt to the occasion.

🎭 C. Make‑up, Costume & Ornaments (Āhārya)

Jayapa provides a very specific visual description of the Perini dancer’s attire, which was later used by Nataraja Ramakrishna to reconstruct the costume:

• Ash on body: The dancer smears holy ash (vibhūti) all over his body, signifying Śaiva asceticism and the destruction of worldly attachments.
• Upright, tied hair: The hair is set upright and tied in a knot (jaṭā), resembling the matted locks of Lord Shiva.
• Ornaments: Ornaments made of sea‑shells or gold are worn. These are not merely decorative but are believed to have spiritual and protective significance.
• Dummy cobra or wand: The dancer holds a dummy cobra (serpent) or a short wand (daṇḍa) in one hand, symbolising Shiva’s serpent adornment and his control over death.
• Fly‑whisk (Cāmara): The other hand carries a cāmara (fly‑whisk), an emblem of royalty and divine presence.
• Ankle‑bells (Ghargharā): Legs are adorned with numerous bells (ghargharā), the sound of which is an integral part of the dance’s rhythm.

💃 D. The Five Aṅgas (Pañcāṅgas) of Perini

Jayapa describes the Perini repertoire as consisting of five distinct sections, which together form the complete performance:

• 1. Nṛtta: The opening pure dance (without interpretive gestures), displaying basic karaṇas, cārīs and maṇḍalas. It serves as an invocation and a warm‑up.
• 2. Kaivāra (Prākṛt for Kavicāra): A section in which the dancer recites or enacts eulogistic verses (kavitā) in praise of the king, the patron or Lord Shiva.
• 3. Gharghara: A complex rhythmic section focusing on the ankle‑bells. The dancer produces different patterns of bell‑sounds through varied footwork, sometimes with and without tāla. This section has seven sub‑varieties according to Jayapa, including cāvaḍa, padiyāḍa, ruṇḍha, siribhira, khaluhula, alagnapāta and siripiṭi (deśī technical terms).
• 4. Vikata (also called Vāgada): A comic and grotesque interlude in which the dancer temporarily abandons the heroic stance and imitates monkeys, goblins, or other fantastic beings, making exaggerated facial expressions and body contortions. This adds a lighter, humorous element to balance the intensity.
• 5. Gīta: The concluding section, where the dance is accompanied by vocal music. The dancer performs abhinaya (interpretative gestures) to the lyrics of devotional songs dedicated to Shiva.

Later texts like the Saṅgīta Ratnākara (13th century) and Saṅgītasamayasāra (13th–14th cent.) refer to these same five aṅgas, sometimes with minor variations in name or order, confirming that Jayapa’s description was authoritative for the entire Deccan region.

🥁 E. Music & Instruments

• Core instruments: The primary percussion instruments mentioned by Jayapa are the mṛdaṅgam (barrel drum), huḍukkā (small hourglass‑shaped drum), paṭaha (kettledrum), karaṭā (cymbals) and kāhalā (long trumpet).
• Jatis and Shushkākṣaras: The rhythmic syllables (ta ki ṭa, jhaṇu ta, etc.) are recited orally by the dancer or the drummers, creating a percussive language that shapes the movement.
• Gharghara as percussion: The ankle‑bells are treated as a genuine musical instrument, and their intricate patterns are a hallmark of Perini.
• No vocal music initially: The first four aṅgas are performed to pure instrumental music (śuṣkavādya); only the final Gīta section introduces singing.

⚔️ F. Spiritual & Martial Purpose

• Pre‑battle ritual: Perini was performed on the eve of war, in front of the Shiva‑liṅga or the king, to invoke Shiva’s blessings for victory and protection.
• Trance state: The intense drumming and rapid movements drive the dancer into a state of mental abstraction (samādhi) where he identifies completely with Shiva and feels divine power flowing through his limbs. This state was believed to confer invincibility on the battlefield.
• Temple offering: Perini was also offered as rāgabhoga (devotional entertainment) in temple festivals, especially on auspicious days like Mahāśivarātri.

Jayapa’s textual description finds its visual counterpart in the breathtaking sculptures of the Ramappa Temple (Rāmaliṅgeśvara Temple) at Palampet, about 77 km from Warangal. This temple, built in 1213 CE during the reign of Kakatiya Ganapatideva, is celebrated for its “floating bricks” and exquisite carvings. The temple walls, pillars and bracket figures depict dozens of dance poses, many of which correspond directly to Perini stances, cārīs and karaṇas. Notably:

• 12 distinct dance sculptures have been identified as illustrating Perini, Gaṇḍalī and Daṇḍa Rāsaka.
• The carvings show male dancers with ash‑smeared bodies, upright hair, holding cobra‑like props and striking vigorous poses – exactly as described by Jayapa.
• Musicians accompany them, playing mṛdaṅgam, huḍukkā and cymbals; the position of the drummers’ fingers on the drumheads is minutely carved, indicating specific playing techniques.

After the fall of the Kakatiyas in the 14th century, Perini gradually disappeared. The dance survived only in fragmentary folk memories and in the stone panels of neglected temples. It was the monumental effort of Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna – a multi‑faceted dancer, guru, musicologist and historian – that brought Perini back to life in the 20th century. His revival was based on three pillars:

1. Textual research: Ramakrishna pored over Sanskrit and Telugu dance‑manuscripts. He first mentioned Perini in his award‑winning Telugu book Daakshinaatyula Natyakala Charithra (1968). He later collaborated with Rallapalli Anantakrishna Sarma on a Telugu translation of Jaya Senani’s Nritta Ratnavali and undertook to write a commentary on the Ramappa sculptures based on that text.
2. Study of temple sculptures: He made numerous visits to Ramappa temple and other Kakatiya sites, “reading” the frozen postures of the stone dancers and reconstructing the original movement sequences.
3. Oral traditions & guru parampara: He learned from surviving devadasi gurus such as Naidupeta Rajamma (a dancer attached to the Kalahasti temple), as well as from masters like Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai and Vedantam Laxminarayana Sastry.

Based on this research, Ramakrishna:
• Reconstructed the choreography of the five aṅgas (Nṛtta, Kaivāra, Gharghara, Vikata, Gīta) exactly as described by Jayapa.
• Developed a specific mṛdaṅgam style for Perini, using the drupada sampradāyam and inviting experts like Dhoopam Suryalingam and Dharmavaram Guruvulu to create a unique percussion vocabulary.
• Designed the costume and make‑up based on Jayapa’s descriptions, with modifications to suit modern stage requirements.
• Composed a full repertoire starting with Gargharam (a rhythmic invocation) and ending with Shiva Panchamukha Shabda Nartanam in praise of the five‑faced Shiva.

In 1975, Ramakrishna presented the reconstructed Perini for the first time at the First World Telugu Mahasabha, performed by three of his disciples. This event marked the rebirth of the dance. He went on to establish the Perini Institute in Warangal and trained over a hundred students, many of whom became leading exponents.

Today, Perini is recognised as the signature classical dance of Telangana. It is regularly performed at state functions, temple festivals and cultural events, both in India and abroad. In 2023, the Prime Minister of India praised Perini alongside the Oscar‑winning song “Naatu Naatu”, highlighting its growing national prominence.

However, Perini still faces challenges. Unlike Kuchipudi (which received extensive government support in undivided Andhra Pradesh), Perini struggled for decades to secure official patronage. Artists like D. Prakash Suneela and Gajjela Ranjit have campaigned for Perini to be declared the official dance of Telangana. The Telangana government has recently taken steps to promote Perini, including filming performances at the Kakatiya Kala Kshetra and including it in school curricula.

The revival of Perini is not merely an antiquarian exercise; it is the restoration of a living heritage. Through the combined efforts of Jayapa Senani (who preserved it in text), the anonymous sculptors of Ramappa (who fixed it in stone) and Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna (who re‑animated it from both), the ‘Dance of Warriors’ continues to inspire new generations. As the beat of the mṛdaṅgam resounds and the dancer smeared with ash whirls in devotion to Shiva, the centuries melt away, and the martial spirit of the Kākatīyas lives again.