Context: Told by his grandpa, Shiva, is a powerful Hindu God, who is known as the destroyer of worlds. One time, he performed a dance called the Tandava, a dance that represents destruction. However, Shiva’s tandava was so powerful that it destroyed parts of the world. Initially, his grandpa told him that villagers thought this wasn’t a good thing, as when is destruction a good thing? It doesn’t bring peace. Rather, it was. Demons and corrupt empires fell apart as a result of the tandava, diminishing into rubble. At the conclusion of this dance, the opprotunity for cities to be rebuilt into something bigger, better, and more impactful was possible from this dance, and societal change was brought around.

Interpretation: Ritually, the Tandava is performed at festivals year around, to represent the destruction of evil through a cultural symbol that unites Hindus. This powerful cosmic-representative dance accompanied with a deep and rhythmic beat seems to instill fear for enemies and pride for others symbolizing a contrast of good versus evil in an artistic mean. With the cosmos, also playing a role here, with the destruction of a planet, a non-literal truth is taught here as in order for something good or to be a better person, sometimes you have to challenge yourself and push yourself past your limits to start shaping yourself or something out of an old shell. The cycle in this story ties with an individuals preservation, destruction, and creation of self. I find the hierarchal sort of nature of this tale interesting in the fact that one deity’s action affects everyone, similar to Adam and Eve with the Snake. Eve’s decision of taking the apple altered the course of what happened. While the decision making and implications are different, the similarity lies in the fact that a non-literal truth or sort of psychological thought is created adns tuck with them ever since.