Lord of the Dance

There's a huge music festival that takes place each summer in England: Glastonbury. The headline actress are always amongst the biggest names in music. There are many different stages and this summer on one of the smaller stages there was a really popular set called, 'Primary School Bangers'. 

Led by James B Partridge, he had the crowd singing along with old favourites such as, 'You shall go out with joy' and 'Sing hosanna'. I'm wondering if he will also have had them singing, 'Lord of the Dance'?

I've been thinking about this song a lot over the past few days since I encountered this statue. (Sorry if it is sideways on, my laptop has died and I am using my phone instead!)

It us Nataraja - Lord of the Dance, Nataraja being the incarnation of Shiva as cosmic dancer. The inscription alongside the statue (see below) gives further information and it is all of this, alongside my belief that Jesus was present when the world was formed as part of the Trinity, that has given me much pause for thought and reflection in these past days.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. John 1:1

When at theological college, we looked at this opening verse from the Gospel of John a lot in my Greek Lessons. (Mainly because one of the other students hadn't ever completed his homework so we were always back at the beginning of John!) Our tutor explored the meaning/inference of the Greek with us, explaining that the figures spoken of (the Word and God) were in an eternal dance - towards and away and around - always. I have always found this to be a beautiful and mesmerising image.

And now I encounter Navaraja/Shiva.

I have been reflecting on what Hindu children in schools might have been thinking about when the song, Lord of the Dance was sung. Did they have images of Navaraja/Shiva in their mind? What did they think about when the story in the song unfolded as being about a man who was cut down but 'leapt up high' and is 'the Dance that will still go on'?

I encountered Navaraja/Shiva again today, at the Elephanta Caves. (More pics of the cave here). Obviously having suffered the rigours of time, he is still a dynamic figure who was, as the descriptions suggest, believed by Hindus to be present at the dawn of creation.

My path of faith has been one firmly located within Christianity. Despite having taught Hinduism to a limited extent over 25 years ago, Nirvaja/Shiva is a figure unknown to me.

I like the fact that the Hindu faith also has a Lord of the Dance. I like the fact that the Hindu faith has an image of a god who is dancing. I more that I have never seen an image of Jesus dancing - which is a pity. A trawl of recent images suggest him in all sorts of dances (including break-dancing!) but there aren't any that are, you know, of historic/artistic 'merit' such as those of Michelangelo!

The dance of faith is so compelling to so many - whatever faith they might follow. So compelling and so utterly absorbing. The dance, the engagement, the companionship, the possibility of physical and emotional freedom - all bound up and offered to anyone and everyone in the invitation held in the song that so many know...

Dance, then, wherever you may be. 

I am the Lord of the dance, said he.

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be. 

And I'll lead you all, in the Dance', said he.