Query on Nataraja (x-post H-ASIA)

[Frank Conlon]

Dear Colleagues:

The following query was posted on H-ASIA today.  I thought it might
be of interest to Indology as well.

Frank

                                H-ASIA
                             August 1, 1996

Query on Nataraja in Indian culture, popularity & distribution
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From: matallen at uoknor.edu (Matthew Allen)

To my esteemed H-Asia colleagues:

In connection with an article I'm writing on the "revival" of dance in
South India earlier this century,  I'm seeking opinions on the following
statement by Dr. V. Subramaniam of Carleton University, Ottawa:

"The Nataraja image itself, almost unknown outside South India round the
turn of this century, is now found in all the posh lounges of Indo-Philic
western homes..."

The part I'm interested in is his belief that the Nataraja image was
relatively obscure ca. 1900. The citation is Subramaniam, V., _The Sacred
and the Secular in India's Performing Arts: Ananda K. Coomaraswamy
Centenary Essays_. New Delhi: Ashish Pub. House, 1980:xviii.

If anyone on the list has an opinion on this from any disciplinary
perspective I'd be most grateful to hear it.

Matthew

*****

Matthew Allen                   matallen at uoknor.edu
Assistant Professor             ph (405) 325-5340
School of Music                 fx (405) 325-7574
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK 73019-0565
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