Mayilattam is one of the most ancestral dances of South India. Displayed mostly in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in exaltation, exoltment and laudation to Lord Muruga . Mayilattam is the clubbing of two words which verbatim means dance of the peacock (‘mayil’ means peacock and ‘attam’ stands for dance). On three or more propitious, religious celebrations or festivals like pongal, the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu, Thaipoosam, a felicitous feast celebrated to worship Lord Murugan, Karthika deepam, celebration of light over darkness, mayilattam is played in laudation of Lord Murugan in the cloister of the temples which have Lord Muruga as the supreme deity. The dancers get themselves seated on the peacock facsimile, which is supposed to be the divine career of the omnipotent deity. Mayilattam is also popularly and widely recognised as Mayilnrityam. Ceremonially and ritualistically mayilattam is performed by women in the temple precincts in obeisance and magnification to Lord Murugan.

This dance form is knackering, toilsome and gruelling to practice and perform. It demands a great chunk of laborious and time consuming rehearsal, drilling ,training and practice. The entire physique of the artists is bedecked with titillating and galvanizing costumes. The dazzling headgear and the fastidiously and conscientiously knit together feather of the peacock that could be furled and unfurled by pulling a twine is so splendiferous to behold. Without this decorous dress code Mayilattam lacks completion and fruition.

Throughout the span of festivities of pongal, thaipoosam, karthigai deepam ,all bearing the glorification of Lord Murugan, mayilattam is an imperative dance form tremendously performed in all temples having Lord Murugan as Cardinal deity. Re-enlivening the divergent styles of gesticulations is the salient and indispensable feature of mayilattam dance. The dancer manifests the peacock’s flaunting ostentatiously the pruning ,grooming and preening of its plentious plumage by gently pecking and smothering and haughtly hopping, strutting and leaping adroitly.The dancers emulate and exhibit these aforesaid characteristic gestures of the peacock impeccably and adeptly.

When the dance is in progress the mellifluous music permeates with its beat and rhythm that intensify and aggrandize the total charm, effect and impact. This dance form no longer retains it’s yester glories due to the abstruseness in practice and ever plummeting and shrinking honorarium.