3rd Stop - Chidambaranthar Swamy Temple
Trip Start
Jun 17, 2010
1
51
57
Trip End
Jun 29, 2010
Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India
Sunday, June 27, 2010
The priests there somehow wanted to do a con job with my brother and somehow I managed to pull him out of it, or else, we would have had to give another Rs 2400. There would also be many touts around who would offer their services for touring the temple and would say that you only pay what you want to give, this is a con scheme around here as well. You do not need a guide for this temple.
After prayers, we left this temple at 11.50am. The temple is huge and this is the only place where the Mulavar is in Nadarajar form.
Below is a brief of this temple:
The ancient Chidambaram Temple is dedicated to Lord Siva in His form of the Cosmic Dancer (Nataraja) . It is one of the five Dancing Halls (Sabha) of Nataraja and the most famous one. Chidambaram is the Kanaka (Golden)Sabha. It is also one of the panchabhoota sthalams - representing five basic elements. This is the Akasa Sthalam representing 'Space' among the Pancha Bootha Sthalams. For Saivites all over the world this is the most important Siva Temple. The stand alone word "Kovil" would automatically mean Chidambaram Temple to Saivites. The temple houses the Akasha Lingam of Shiva and is one of the greatest Siva Temple of Tamilnadu. The Govindaraja shrine adjacent to the Nataraja Shrine was constructed in 1639 C.E. by a Telugu / Kannada Nayak chief of that area. Nataraja in Chidambaram Temple has been sung by many Tamil Saints including the Tevaram Trio - Sambanthar, Tirunavukkarasar, Sundaramurti Swamigal. Manickavasagar attained Mukti in Chidambaram by becoming one with Nataraja. The other Saiva Saint of importance who attained Mukti here is Nandanar. Nandanar, born in a caste of untouchables became exalted by his bhakti, that even the most holy brahmins of Chidambaram worshipped him. Chidambaram hosts the most ancient set of 108 Karana stone carvings, the key dance movements of Nataraja. The temple complex is spread over 40 acres (160,000 m2) in the heart of the city. Many thousands of devotees come to this auspicious temple to pay homage to the Dancing Siva.SivaThe Temple houses the Shiva and Vishnu in the same complex,where a devotee can have darshan of Lord Shiva and Lord Govindaraja(Lord Vishnu) from a single place. The Govindaraja temple is also among the 108 dhivya desams of Vaishnavites.The famous Natyanjali festival is held in the Nataraja temple complex every year during Maha shivaratri.Bharatanatyam dancers from different parts of the world offer their prayers to Lord Nataraja and perform in the temple complex
Comments
The greatest of Siva Stalams. Did you see the Akasa Lingga?
Hi Rudrasenan, yes I did. In fact, I managed to see the full Abishegam, I arrived in about the right timing. :)