After driving on the highway for a short distance(well, short in highway terms), we reached the most holy city for Shaivites, Chidambaram. This is where the lord dances, where Shiva is Nataraja, the cosmic dancer, and dances in the wheel of fire, crushing a demon underfoot, twirling a snake through his fingers, with a smile on his face.
The temple has been in existence since the time of the Pallavas, but in the time of Gandaraditya, the son of Parantaka I, he gold plated the roof of the temple, and wrote a series of songs on the temple.
Rajaraja and the later Cholas expanded the temple further, and during muslim invasions, especially of Malik Kafur's, the idol was taken away, and hidden, until the threat had passed. The Cholas had a palace here, where they stayed when touring the country. Kulothunga II made frequent visits here.
The Chidambaram temple was also supposed to have held Olai(Palm leaf manuscripts) written by Appar, Sundarar and Thirugnanasambandar, the three saint-singer-songwriters of Shaivism, who lived in the 6th-8th centuries. These manuscripts were feircely guarded, but Rajaraja made a royal decree that stated that the temple must make these documents public. But by that time, a lot of them had disintegrated.
The Vijaynagar kings patronised Chidambaram as well, and made contributions, as did the Nayaks, in the large mandapams and courtyards around the original temple structure, which you have to come through to enter the temple. Even to this day, the roofing of the central shrine is gold plated.
The deity is only about half a foot high, but magnificently carved out of wood. There is also a crystal lingam here.
The Gopurams are another interesting feature. One of them is pre-Vijaynagar, but the rest are post. One gopuram has been closed off. Two gopurams have figures in dance poses, with grantha captions above them! One gopuram was renovated by Kanchipuram Pachiappa Mudaliar, and bears an inscription, and a statue of him, in his honour. There is also a Chola or Kadavarayar (Kopperunjingan I or II)ruler carved into a gopuram,
The Chidambaram temple does not permit photography inside, not even in the outer prakarams, so unfortunately, photos are very limited.
Location: Chidambaram nataraja temple
The temple has been in existence since the time of the Pallavas, but in the time of Gandaraditya, the son of Parantaka I, he gold plated the roof of the temple, and wrote a series of songs on the temple.
Rajaraja and the later Cholas expanded the temple further, and during muslim invasions, especially of Malik Kafur's, the idol was taken away, and hidden, until the threat had passed. The Cholas had a palace here, where they stayed when touring the country. Kulothunga II made frequent visits here.
The Chidambaram temple was also supposed to have held Olai(Palm leaf manuscripts) written by Appar, Sundarar and Thirugnanasambandar, the three saint-singer-songwriters of Shaivism, who lived in the 6th-8th centuries. These manuscripts were feircely guarded, but Rajaraja made a royal decree that stated that the temple must make these documents public. But by that time, a lot of them had disintegrated.
The Vijaynagar kings patronised Chidambaram as well, and made contributions, as did the Nayaks, in the large mandapams and courtyards around the original temple structure, which you have to come through to enter the temple. Even to this day, the roofing of the central shrine is gold plated.
The deity is only about half a foot high, but magnificently carved out of wood. There is also a crystal lingam here.
The Gopurams are another interesting feature. One of them is pre-Vijaynagar, but the rest are post. One gopuram has been closed off. Two gopurams have figures in dance poses, with grantha captions above them! One gopuram was renovated by Kanchipuram Pachiappa Mudaliar, and bears an inscription, and a statue of him, in his honour. There is also a Chola or Kadavarayar (Kopperunjingan I or II)ruler carved into a gopuram,
The Chidambaram temple does not permit photography inside, not even in the outer prakarams, so unfortunately, photos are very limited.
A pillar in the Gopuram
Gopuram
A figure, with the grantha above
The ruler
Pachaiappa Mudaliar from the 18th cent
The inscription which mentions the year, and the fact that KP Mudaliar was the man who renovated the Gopuram.
Location: Chidambaram nataraja temple
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