Photo: Wikipedia article "Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram" — CC-licensed via Wikimedia CommonsOpen NowNataraja Temple
Type
Hindu Temple
Deity
Lord Shiva
Pincode
608001
The 'Akasha' (space) Pancha Bhoota Sthalam, home to the cosmic dancing Shiva as Nataraja — the only shrine where Shiva is worshipped as pure space rather than a lingam. Its Chit Sabha (hall of consciousness) is roofed with 21,600 gold tiles, said to represent the number of breaths a person takes in a day.
History & Significance
Significance
The Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram is one of the most philosophically profound temples in Hinduism — the sanctum enshrines not an idol but the concept of infinite space (Akasha), the fifth of the Pancha Bhoota. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Nataraja (the cosmic dancer) whose dance (Ananda Tandava) represents the eternal cycle of creation, preservation, and dissolution. The 'Chidambaram Rahasyam' (secret of Chidambaram) — a curtain that when parted reveals only infinite space — is one of the great philosophical symbols in Indian religion.
History
The temple's origin is attributed to Hiranyavarman Chakravartin, a legendary king who is said to have built the original structure. Historical records confirm major construction during the Pallava and Chola periods (7th–12th century CE). The Chola king Parantaka I is credited with building the golden roof of the sanctum. The temple has been managed since ancient times by the Dikshitar community — a group of hereditary priest-scholars who have an unusual status as both priests and temple owners.
Lord Shiva challenged the sage Vyagrapada ('tiger-foot' sage) to witness his cosmic dance. Shiva performed the Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss) here in the forest of Tillai (now Chidambaram). The sage was transported to divine ecstasy. Lord Vishnu, who witnessed the dance in the form of a fish, asked Shiva to make his dance permanent — and so Shiva froze his dancing form as the Nataraja and chose Chidambaram as his eternal abode.
Architecture
The temple complex covers 40 acres with four massive gopurams on the cardinal directions, the tallest at 49 metres. The sanctum has two main objects of worship: the Akasha Lingam (an invisible, formless Shiva) and the Nataraja bronze (the cosmic dancer). The golden roof (Kanaka Sabha) is covered with gold tiles supported by 64 beams representing the 64 arts. The Ponnambalam (golden hall) is considered one of the most sacred spaces in Shaivite tradition.
Nearby Temples
Closest temples by distance — worth combining into the same trip.
