Thirumaal's kutam (vessel) dance and VaaNan

[Chandrasekaran, Periannan]

> Greetings Everyone.
> [Apologies for using a different translieration scheme than what I see
> commonly used here]
>
>
> The exquisite ancient Tamil work Chilappathikaaram, when enuemerating the
> eleven different
> prototypical dances of the Tamil drama (pathinOru kuththugaL of n-aatakath
> thamiz)
>  performed by Maathavi at pUmpuhaar during the In-thiran festival,
> mentions that
> Thirumaal (VishNu) performed the dance by the name of "Kutam" or
> "kutakkUththu"
>  on the streets of the city governed  by his adversary called "VaaNan".
> kutam = vessel; kUththu = dance
>
> "vaaNan pEr Ur maRukitai natan-thu
> n-IL n-ilam aLan-thOn aatiya kutamum"
>
> [Chilappathikaaram:Inthira VizavUr Etuththa kaathai: ]
>
> txln:
> "...and the vessel dance that was perfomed by the One who scaled the
> immense earth
>  while pacing the streets of  vaaNan's great city"
>
> Here the phrase "the one who scaled the immense earth" refers to Thirumaal
> who
> performed that feat in the vaamana avathaaram.
>
> There is also a temple within a few miles of the coastal  city of
> PUmpuhaar
> in a place called Thirun-AngkUr where Thirumaal's image is shaped as a
> dancer
> standing in a posture with his foot on top of a kutam (vessel).
>
> Are there any references to such an episode in Sanskrit texts at all?
> And the earliest such Sanskrit text?
>
> Thanks
> P. Chandrasekaran
>
>