Tandu, Attendant of Lord Shiva

Tandu is one of the attendants of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva taught him a new style of dancing, named Tandava. Tandava is considered as one of the modes of dramatic performance. Tandava takes its name from Tandu.

Tandu occupies an important place in the tradition of Indian dance and dramaturgy. According to the Natya Shastra, Lord Shiva instructed Tandu in the principles of the Tandava, the cosmic dance, and directed him to teach Bharata Muni, the author of the Natya Shastra, the use of Angaharas and Karanas. Together, these Angaharas and Karanas form the essential components of the Tandava. Bharata discusses the 32 Angaharas and 108 Karanas in the fourth chapter of the Natya Shastra, titled Tandava Lakshanam. 

Some scholars suggest that Tandu may have been the author of an earlier treatise on the dramatic arts, portions of which were later incorporated into the Natya Shastra. The text also depicts Lord Shiva explaining the various aspects of dance to the god Brahma, thereby establishing the divine origin and transmission of the principles of dance and performance.

According to traditional accounts, Lord Shiva asked Goddess Parvati to perform the Lasya dance before Sage Bharata with great enthusiasm. Lasya is regarded as the graceful and delicate counterpart to the Tandava and is traditionally associated with feminine expression. It is described as a dance performed by women in which the movements of the hands remain free and expressive. 

Having witnessed the dance performed by Tandu, which came to be known as the Tandava, Sage Bharata and other sages are believed to have transmitted the principles of both Tandava and Lasya to humankind. In traditional understanding, the Tandava is a vigorous dance form associated with Lord Shiva and is primarily performed by men. It incorporates a variety of mudras (symbolic hand gestures), including the Jnana Mudra, in which the tip of the thumb touches the tip of the index finger. Traditional interpretations attribute symbolic significance to this gesture, stating that it unites the mounts of Jupiter and Venus on the palm, representing the union of the masculine and feminine principles.

Tandava, also known as Tandavam, is the divine dance traditionally associated with Lord Shiva. In Hindu iconography, Shiva is often depicted as Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, performing the Tandava, which symbolizes the dynamic processes of creation, preservation, and destruction within the cosmos. The Natya Shastra, the classical Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts, describes various aspects of the Tandava and its significance in the tradition of Indian dance. 

In the context of India's sacred dance-drama traditions, the Tandava is characterized by vigorous, energetic, and rhythmic movements. When performed in a joyous and blissful mood, it is known as Ananda Tandava, representing divine bliss and cosmic harmony. In contrast, the Rudra Tandava embodies Shiva's fierce and destructive aspect, symbolizing both the dissolution of the universe and the transcendence of death. Together, these forms illustrate the multifaceted nature of Shiva as both the creator and the destroyer, reflecting the cyclical rhythm of the cosmos.