Melattur, Tamil Nadu
Encyclopedia
Melattur is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district
in the India
n state
of Tamil Nadu
. It is located 18 kilometres from the town of Thanjavur. It is famous as a place of origin of the Melattur style of Bharatanatyam
founded by Mangudi Dorairaja Iyer and a series of dance-drama performances called the Bhagavatha Melas.
, Melattur had a population of 7815. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Melattur has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 59%. In Melattur, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
who lived in 12th century AD. Earlier known as Nritta Vinoda Valanadu, the village was rechristened as Unnathapuri in honor of Unnathapureswarar, the presiding deity of the temple and the form in which Lord Shiva was worshipped in Melattur.
When the Vijayanagar Empire fell at the Battle of Talikota
in 1542, there were a prominent exodus of artistes and prominent Hindu citizens to the south. Achyuthappa Nayak of Thanjavur, a vassal of the Vijayanagar kings granted the village of Unnathapuri near Thanjavur to 501 families of Kuchipudi
dancers who were a part of the exodus. The village was subsequently renamed as Achyutapuram and eventually as Melattur with the passage of time. The Kuchipudi dancers preserved their ancestral tradition and gave regular performances. This eventually gave rise to the Bhagavatha Melas as well as the unique style of Bharatanatyam which evolved here.
During the reign of the Maratha
king Tukkoji
, an exodus of people from Atthigiri (Kanchipuram
) migrated south and settled in Melattur. They built the Varadaraja Perumal temple at the north-western corner of the Agraharam
and introduced Vaishnavism
in the village and surrounding areas.
Virabhadra, the famous scholar who introduced thillana in the art of Bharatanatyam hailed from Melattur
.
The earliest recorded celebration of the Bhagavatha Mela was in the year 1888. However, the mela has been held uninterruptedly only since 1938. In earlier times, the Mela used to be held in the five nearby villages of Soolamangalam, Saliyamangalam
, Nallur, Oothukadu and Teperumanallur apart from Melattur. But nowadays, the mela is held only in Melattur and Saliyamangalam.
The mela is held for a week during which the dramas Kamsa Vadham, Sathya Harischandra, Hari Hara Leela Vilasam and Sita Kalyanam are enacted. The drama Sathya Harischandra based on the story of Harishchandra
is so replete with expression that it occasionally moves one to tears. The melas culminate with the drama Prahlada Charitram enacted on Narasimha Jayanthi. The highlight of the drama is the climax scene in which the actor playing the part of Narasimha supposedly becomes possessed by the spirit of Narasimha and charges at Hiranyakashyap in murderous rage. The actor in the role of Narasimha had to be restrained by bodyguards at the venue for this purpose.
performance is an indispensable part of a Bhagavatha Mela. However, a unique style of Bharatanatyam is practised by the Melattur dancers. The distinct features of the Melattur style of Bharatanatyam are:
situated on the outskirts of the village. The vegetation comprises lush green paddy fields and coconut palms
The village of Thengudi Thittai famous for its Vasishteswarar Temple built by the Cholas is located a few kilometres from Melattur. Thengudi Thittai is believed to be the mound which Lord Shiva mounted when the whole world was submerged in water during pralaya
. Crowds swarm Thittai for the Guru Peyarchi festival .
Thanjavur District
Thanjavur District is one of the 32 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur.-Geography:...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. It is located 18 kilometres from the town of Thanjavur. It is famous as a place of origin of the Melattur style of Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
founded by Mangudi Dorairaja Iyer and a series of dance-drama performances called the Bhagavatha Melas.
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Melattur had a population of 7815. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Melattur has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 59%. In Melattur, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
History
Inscriptions at the largest Shiva temple in Melattur indicate that the village might have existed as early as the times of Vikrama CholaVikrama Chola
Kōpparakēsarivarman Vikrama Chola was a 12th century king of the Chola empire. He succeeded his father Kulothunga Chola I to the throne in 1120 C.E. A insscription of his from Sidlaghatta in Karnataka mentions the Saka date 1042...
who lived in 12th century AD. Earlier known as Nritta Vinoda Valanadu, the village was rechristened as Unnathapuri in honor of Unnathapureswarar, the presiding deity of the temple and the form in which Lord Shiva was worshipped in Melattur.
When the Vijayanagar Empire fell at the Battle of Talikota
Battle of Talikota
The Battle of Talikota , a watershed battle fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan sultanates, resulted in a rout of Vijayanagara, and ended the last great Hindu kingdom in South India...
in 1542, there were a prominent exodus of artistes and prominent Hindu citizens to the south. Achyuthappa Nayak of Thanjavur, a vassal of the Vijayanagar kings granted the village of Unnathapuri near Thanjavur to 501 families of Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi
Kuchipudi is a Classical Indian dance form Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also popular all over South India. Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Divi Taluka of Krishna district that borders the Bay of Bengal and with resident Brahmins practicing this traditional dance form, it acquired the...
dancers who were a part of the exodus. The village was subsequently renamed as Achyutapuram and eventually as Melattur with the passage of time. The Kuchipudi dancers preserved their ancestral tradition and gave regular performances. This eventually gave rise to the Bhagavatha Melas as well as the unique style of Bharatanatyam which evolved here.
During the reign of the Maratha
Thanjavur Marathas
Thanjavur Marathas were the rulers of Thanjavur principality of Tamil Nadu between the 17th to the 19th century C.E. Their native language was Marathi...
king Tukkoji
Tukkoji
Tukkoji was the fourth Maratha ruler of Thanjavur. He was from the Bhonsle dynasty and was the son of Ekoji I as well as the younger brother of Shahuji I and Serfoji I...
, an exodus of people from Atthigiri (Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...
) migrated south and settled in Melattur. They built the Varadaraja Perumal temple at the north-western corner of the Agraharam
Agraharam
An Agraharam or Agrahara is the name given to the Brahmin quarter of a heterogenous village or to any village inhabited by Brahmins...
and introduced Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
in the village and surrounding areas.
Virabhadra, the famous scholar who introduced thillana in the art of Bharatanatyam hailed from Melattur
Bhagavatha Mela
The main tourist attraction of Melattur are the Bhagavatha Melas, a series of festivities that mark the festival of Narasimha Jayanthi or the birth of Lord Narasimha. The Bhagavatha Melas comprise dramas and dance performances. The dialogues and songs are mostly in TeluguTelugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
.
The earliest recorded celebration of the Bhagavatha Mela was in the year 1888. However, the mela has been held uninterruptedly only since 1938. In earlier times, the Mela used to be held in the five nearby villages of Soolamangalam, Saliyamangalam
Saliyamangalam
Saliyamangalam is a village in the Papanasam taluk of Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the two places in Tamil Nadu where the Bhagavathar Melas are held, the other being Melattur.- Location :...
, Nallur, Oothukadu and Teperumanallur apart from Melattur. But nowadays, the mela is held only in Melattur and Saliyamangalam.
The mela is held for a week during which the dramas Kamsa Vadham, Sathya Harischandra, Hari Hara Leela Vilasam and Sita Kalyanam are enacted. The drama Sathya Harischandra based on the story of Harishchandra
Harishchandra
Harishchandra, in Hindu religious texts is the 36th king of the Solar Dynasty, Surya Maharishi Gothram . His legend is very popular and often told as a benchmark for an ideal life. He was renowned for his piety and justice. His name is Sanskrit for "having golden splendour".Harishchandra had two...
is so replete with expression that it occasionally moves one to tears. The melas culminate with the drama Prahlada Charitram enacted on Narasimha Jayanthi. The highlight of the drama is the climax scene in which the actor playing the part of Narasimha supposedly becomes possessed by the spirit of Narasimha and charges at Hiranyakashyap in murderous rage. The actor in the role of Narasimha had to be restrained by bodyguards at the venue for this purpose.
Bharatanatyam
A classical BharatanatyamBharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
performance is an indispensable part of a Bhagavatha Mela. However, a unique style of Bharatanatyam is practised by the Melattur dancers. The distinct features of the Melattur style of Bharatanatyam are:
- Natural (spontaneous) and highly expressive abhinaya
- Largest amplitude of movements, which requires a higher degree of flexibility
- Emphasis on sringara bhakti
- Emphasis on crisp adavus, accuracy of jathis/ gathis,
- Fluid variations of patterned korvais
- Dramatic elements (characterisation)
- Original methods of application of principles of "loka dharmi" and "natya dharmi"
Other Tourist Attractions
The agraharam at Melattur is surrounded by a Ganapathy temple and a Draupadi temple apart from the Shiva temple and Narasimha temple. There is also a temple dedicated to Lord AyyanarAyyanar
Ayyanar is a Hindu village god, worshipped predominantly in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Tamil villages in Sri Lanka. He is primarily worshipped as a guardian deity who protects the rural villages...
situated on the outskirts of the village. The vegetation comprises lush green paddy fields and coconut palms
The village of Thengudi Thittai famous for its Vasishteswarar Temple built by the Cholas is located a few kilometres from Melattur. Thengudi Thittai is believed to be the mound which Lord Shiva mounted when the whole world was submerged in water during pralaya
Pralaya
Pralaya, in Hindu cosmology, is an aeonic term which specifies different periods of time during which non activity situation persists, as per different formats or contexts...
. Crowds swarm Thittai for the Guru Peyarchi festival .