Melattur style of Bharatnatyam dance was innovated, developed and improvised greatly out of devadasi traditions and Melattur Bhagavata Mela by Mangudi Dorairaja Iyer, a sanyasi following Srividya Upasana. Mangudi Dorairaja Iyer was born in the year 1900 and died in 1980.Bharatnatyam Dancer of Melattur Style
Mangudi Dorairaja Iyer re-established the Suddha Nrittam (complicated and stylized tapping footwork that searches various time measures in various tempos), Bhattasa Natyam and Perani Natyam (dance on the clay pot). He became associated in Shuddha Nrittam after watching a brilliant performance by devadasi of Cheyyur Sengalvarayar temple, who performed it along with other 71 types of items (e.g. Kavita, Nritta, Vadya, Sangeeta and others).
Themes
Mangudi went against the traditional Bharatnatyam gurus and avoided all the items that glorified the poets human patrons, as performing such items would not go with his devotion to spiritual practices of Srividya Upasana. It is only the holy rishis or the deities who are considered of such glorification. Thus, the elements or repertoire of a Melattur style dancer consists mostly of the ancient items performed in the temples.
Footwork
In the Melattur style of dancing, instead of stumping the foot hard against the floor the dancer is expected to use salangai (ankle bells) in a better manner that helps in producing rich variety of sounds and also glorifies the rhythm.
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