Hailed as one of the Tamil Trinity (along with Marimutu Pillai and Arunachala Kavi raya), very little is known about Muthutandavar’s life by way of Facts. It is beleived that he was born in the village of Sirgazhi to a family (known as Isai Vellalar) devoted to playing music at the local temple. As a boy he was named Thandavan- in honour of the presiding diety at Chidambaram.
Suffering, as he was, from an incurable skin disease, he could not take up the family profession of playing music at the temple. Sick in body mind and spirit, Thandavan began frequenting the house of a woman by the name Shivabhagyam who was a great devotee of Shiva. Thandavan drew solace by listening to her songs. However, village gossip could not be contained and Thandavan was ostracised by the community.
Thandavan sought refuge at the temple and began venturing out only at night. One day, whilst he was hiding in one of the dark corners, the temple priest locked and bolted the main doors of the temple. Thandan was trapped inside !!. He could not go out. Hunger began gnawing him and in his already weakend condition, fainted. His heart called for grace and mercy from the Lord. He did not know how long he lay unconcious, but he woke up on hearing his name. Some one was calling out to him. He looked up to see the young daughter of the priest holding out a bowl of payasam for him. Thandavan gulped it down and fell asleep once more.
Morning came….Tandavan’s life would never be the same again. The priest on openeing the main door found Thadavan still asleep on the doorstep. Hearing his astonished cry , some more villagers gathered and all of them were shocked—not on seeing an ostracized member of the community within the temple- but at the wondrous change that had coem over Thandavan. Gone was his ghastly appearance and the sickening skin disease. Instead his face body shone witha strange lustre- like a pearl.
On hearing Thandavan’s story, the village elders concluded that it was none other than the presiding diety of Sirgahzhi- Lokanayaki- who had come in the night and fed him the blessed Payasam. Tandavan became Muthuthandavar- Muthu meaning pearl.
Following his inner voice, Muthuthandavar traveeled to CHidambaram where he began composing songs on Nataraja.
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