SALANGAI......

What is salangai? Salangai is something like anklet but in a bigger version where it is wear by the people who is dancing indian classical dance (bharatanatyam). There is 2 types of salangai,cloth and leather made. The salangai was worn by Lord Shiva during his recarnation to the earth. Where he dance the Rudra Thandavem in Sithirabam,India.

But thosedays people will wear this salangai for reduce tiredness because they use to walk very far.Which means thosedays there is no vehicle and transport so they normally walk all the way to reach their destiny.Therefore by using salangai,there is a rythm and sound when you move your legs so this makes them not to feel the tiredness so much hearing to the bytes. Even nowdays their use salangai for thaipusam where people who take up kavadi thir will wear salangai so they dont feel that much tired.

Salangai pooja is usually done when one has learnt Bharatanatyam for a few years and attained a good handle on talam. One is not allowed to wear their Salangai and perform until after the salangai pooja. On a Vijaya Dasami day, the family and friends get together at a temple, where pooja is done for the new salangai and the guru offers the same to the students.Then, the students wear their salangai for the first time and present a mini recital.

For reference, the nadais in dance are counted like so:
Chathushram (4)Thakadhimi Thakajhanu
Thishram (3)Thakita Thakita
Mishram (4+3)Thakadhimi Thakita
Khandam (5)Thaka Thakita
Sankeernam (4+5)Thakadhimi Thaka Thakita