Deity Neelayadakshi

Classical Dance forms & related music
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laya2
Posts: 310
Joined: 05 Dec 2009, 03:39

Deity Neelayadakshi

Post by laya2 »

Hi

Can somebody tell me how can we show the deity "Neelayadakshi" in Bharatanatyam.

This is the meaning that I found:

Neelayadakshi means the one with the blue eyes. She is in the form of a pubescent girl, and is believed to be one of the Shakti Peetams.

thank you.

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Deity Neelayadakshi

Post by Sachi_R »

Laya2,
It seems to be a contraction (to fit the needs of the prosody) of the Sanskrit word
नीलोत्पलायताक्षि
(The one endowed with) blue-lotus-like-long-eyes.

It could very well be the name of a Devi Kshetra deity.

🙏

Rajani
Posts: 1193
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 19:52

Re: Deity Neelayadakshi

Post by Rajani »

neelAyatAkshi (not dAkshi) is the name of the goddess in Nagapattinam. One of the three shrines with kritis by all three of the Carnatic Trinity.
(The other two are Kanchipuram Kamakshi and Tiruvaiyaru Dharmasamvardhani)

nAdopAsaka
Posts: 878
Joined: 20 Jul 2020, 17:05

Re: Deity Neelayadakshi

Post by nAdopAsaka »

Dear Laya2
To address your natya question, in my opinion, you cannot go wrong with Muthuswamy Dikshitars compass for this deity , his kritis capture a dance of the spirit !

Bombay Jayshree
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMP-yt-eePE
Sikkil Gurusharan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0P6BG4VEqE

Bombay Jayshrees and separately Sikkil Gurucharan renditions, of course there are other great ones over the decades but sound quality and percussion is clear in these ones and male/female voices are covered)

shrngara, shanta, daya, loyalty/trust ? , bhakti and other rasas could be easily emoted from the timeless words/rhythm and music of this kriti , in fact Dikshitar says all 9 rasas are revealed in the smile of the devi !, .

..just some thoughts, humbly suggested, best wishes

ambA nIlAyatAkSI karuNAkaTAkSi akhilalOkasAkSi kaTAksi
A: bimbAdhari citpratibimbAdhari bindunAdavashaHNkari shaHNkari ambujAramaNasOdari atirathi ambari kAdambari nIlAmbari
C: shivarAjadhAnI kSEtravAsini shritajana vishvAsini shiva kAyArOhaNEshOllAsini cidrUpa vilAsini navayOgini cakra vikAsini navarasa darahAsini suvarNamaya vigraha prakAshini suvarNamaya hAsini bhuvanOdaya sthitilaya vinOdini bhuvanEshvari kSipra prasAdini navamANikya vallakI vAdini bhavaguruguha vEdini sammOdini

Perhaps it helps to hear a similar kriti
Priya sisters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFr9JBHvFOo

Umesh
Posts: 361
Joined: 04 Jun 2006, 12:59

Re: Deity Neelayadakshi

Post by Umesh »

If the question is about mudras, it seems that any of the typical Devi/Parvati mudras would be appropriate (abhaya and varaha hastas, kapita for parrot). This Goddess also appears to be seated uniquely in some images-- there is a masculine quality to it, actually quite nice-- and you could emulate that.. carefully. A more literal interpretation of the epithet would of course be something like "eyes [as blue] as the ocean." It depends on your choreography.

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