South India Travel --› Tamlinadu Cities --› Chidambaram City

Chidambaram City Tour

Chidambaram is also known as Thillai, since the place was originally a forest of Thillai(Excecaria agallecha)shrubs. It is an important pilgrim centre and a holy place for Saivaites as the famous Nataraja Temple is located here.

Dedicated to Lord Nataraja, this ancient temple of the Cholas is unique not only it is devoted solely to the art of Bharatanatyam, but also it is one of the rare temples where Shiva is represented by an idol rather than the customary Lingam. Spread over an area of 40 acres with a gopuram on each side, the temple is distinguished by five sabhas or courts.

The eastern gopuram is 40.8 m. high and carved on it are the 108 dance poses of Bharatanatyam. The western tower has also similar carvings while the northern tower which soars to a height of 42.4 m. is the tallest.

The idol of Nataraja is installed in the Kanaka Sabha, the roof of which is covered with gold Plates. The icon is a stunning piece of sculpture that evokes a sense of continuous movement. Though non-Hindus are not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum, replicas of this idol are easily available in most handicraft emporia and shops selling art and curio objects.

A shrine to Govindaraja or Lord Vishnu lies adjacent to the main shrine and has a beautiful idol of the lord reclining on Adisesha, the serpent. There are two other shrines, one dedicated to Subramanya and the other to Ganesha. In the courtyard, a large Nandi looks on devotedly at its lord and master through an aperture on the wall.

Places to See : The Nataraja Temple, located in the centre of the town covers an area of 40 acres. It is one of the ancient temples of Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity of the temple is represented by air, one of the five elements of the universe and is known as Akasa Lingam.The eastern tower rises to a height of 40.8 metres. 108 Bharatha Natyam Dance poses can be seen on the Eastern tower as well as on Western tower. The Northern tower rises to a height of 42.4 metres.

Excursion in Chidambaram : Tarangambadi, once the site of a Danish settlement, Tarangambadi has the remains of the Dansborg fort built by Ore Gedde, the commander of the Royal Dutch Navy, in the 17th century.The fort constructed in 1620 with two storeys was the most important building which housed the top echelons of the Danish officials. Apart from the ramparts, the rest of the buildings are in good condition.