Nattuvangam is an essential instrument used for the practise and performance of a Bharatanatyam dance. The antient Tamil literature Tholkappiam has many references to this instrument and about the musicians who handled this instrument and its notes. In those days dancers are dedicated to the performance of Bharatanatyam during special poojas and offerings. Such dancers were given special names such as Maanikathars, Thalaiseri pendugal, and Devaradiyars.

[adinserter block=”4″]

During the period of king Nandhivarman the second, about 27 Men & women were employed to perform regularly at the mutteswarar temple at various ritual periods in which men excelled in playing the thattali, an instrument which accompanies a dance performance to be conducted in an order. The thattali performers also developed to aquire knowledge about dance, music and its rythms, and also in literature. They began to compose new styles and rhytms which helped in fine tuning a dance performance. Over a period of time they started to use new instrument called nattuvangam and started being proudly called as nattuvanars . The knowledge of these nattuvanars passed on through generations and their contributions to barathanatyam grew more and more that nattuvangam has become the inseperable companion of Bharatanatyam.

[adinserter block=”3″]

The beauty of a performance is solely dependant on the rhythm and tempo that a nattuvanar maintains in nattuvangam. No art is the same as it used to be and cannot show resistance to change especially when it develops and enriches the legacy of the art. In some rare cases some things see its decline in the same way it rose to fame The story of nattuvangam is also the same due to lack of proper teaching and lack of importance towards the art.