Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram

Dr UDAY DOKRAS

STOCKHOLM, TAMPERE, NAGPUR

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The main gopuram of Chidambaram Natarajar temple/ What is special about Chidambaram
temple?
The Chidambaram temple complex proudly boasts of being one of the oldest temple complexes
in Southern India. The most unique characteristic of the Nataraj Temple is the bejewelled
image of Nataraj. The temple has five main Halls or Sabhas namely the Kanaka Sabha, the Cit
Sabha, Nritta Sabha, Deva Sabha and Raja Sabha. 1 It was built during a very traumatic era:

"The era under consideration opens with an unprecedented calamity for Southern India: the
invasion of the region at the turn of the fourteenth century by Malik Kafur, general of Alauddin,
Sultan of Delhi. Malik Kafur's forces brought to an abrupt end all of the indigenous ruling
houses of Southern India, not one of which was able to withstand the assault or outlive the
conquest. Virtually every city of importance in the Kannada, Telugu and Tamil zones succumbed
to the raids of Malik Kafur; forts were destroyed, palaces dismantled and temple sanctuaries
wrecked in the search for treasure. In order to consolidate the rapidly won gains of this pillage,
Malik Kafur established himself in 1323 at Madurai (Madura) in the southernmost part of the
Tamil zone, former capital of the Pandyas who were dislodged by the Delhi forces. Madurai
thereupon became the capital of the Ma'bar (Malabar) province of the Delhi empire."

Michell, George (1988),  The Hindu Temple: An Introduction to Its Meaning and Forms,
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, pp.  145–148, ISBN  0-226-53230-5
Thillai Nataraja Temple, also referred as the Chidambaram Nataraja temple is a Hindu
Temple dedicated to Lord Nataraja is one of the form of Lord Shiva as the lord of dance. This
temple is located in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. This temple has ancient roots and a Shiva
shrine existed at the site when the town was known as Thillai Chidambaram, the name of the city
and the temple literally means "atmosphere of wisdom" or "clothed in thought", the temple
architecture symbolizes the connection between the arts and spirituality, creative activity and the
divine. The temple wall carvings display all the 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra by Bharata
Muni, and these postures form a foundation of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance.
______________________________________________________________________________

1. Younger, P. (1986). The Citamparam Temple Complex and Its Evolution. East and West, 36(1/3), 205–226.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/29756764

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Bhakti movement
Bhakti movement was a revolution started by the Hindu saints to bring religious reforms by
adopting the method of devotion to achieve salvation. This movement resulted in various rites by
practising rituals of devotion among the Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs in the Indian
subcontinent.There is, however, no reference to the temple in Sangam literature of the 1st to 5th
centuries and the earliest mention is found in 6th-century Tamil literature. The temple and the
deity were immortalized in Tamil poetry in the works of Thevaram by three poet saints
belonging to the 7th century - Thirugnana Sambanthar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundaramoorthy
Nayanar. Thirugnana Sambanthar has composed 2 songs in praise of the temple,
Thirunavukkarasar aka Appar 8 Tevarams in praise of Nataraja and Sundarar 1 song in praise of
Nataraja. Sundarar commences his Thiruthondar thogai (the sacred list of Lord Shiva's 63
devotees) paying his respects to the priests of the Thillai temple - "To the devotees of the priests
at Thillai, I am a devotee". The works of the first three saints, Thirumurai were stored in palm
leaf manuscripts in the temple and were recovered by the Chola King Rajaraja Chola under the
guidance of Nambiandarnambi.
Manikkavasagar, the 10th-century saivite poet has written two works, the first
called Tiruvasakam (The sacred utterances) which largely has been sung in Chidambaram and
the Thiruchitrambalakkovaiyar (aka Thirukovaiyar), which has been sung entirely in the temple.
Manikkavasagar is said to have attained spiritual bliss at Chidambaram. The Chidambaram
Mahatmiyam composed during the 12th century explain the subsequent evolution and de-
sanskritization.
A unique feature of this temple is the bejeweled image of Lord Nataraja as the main deity. It
depicts Lord Shiva as the master of Koothu-Bharata Natyam and is one of the few temples where
Lord Shiva is represented by an anthropomorphic murthi rather than the classic,
aniconic Lingam.
At Chidambaram, the dancer dominates, not the linga as in other Shiva shrines. The Chitsabha
houses a small spatik (crystal) linga (Chandramoulisvara), believed to be a piece that fell from
the crescent adorning Lord Shiva's head and installed by Adi Shankara. Daily puja is offered to
the spatik linga (six times) and also to a small emerald figure of Nataraja called Ratnasabhapati
(once, at 10-30 am). The main sanctum also encloses Chidambara Rahasya - the divine chakra
adorned with golden vilva leaves. This remains hidden and only during the pooja times (six times
in a day), Rahasya Darshan will be offered to the devotees. Rahasya emanates the vastness and
formlessness of Akash, the divinity that is the highest form of Supremacy (ether form of five
elements).
Natyanjali Festival in the temple
A whole year for men is said to be a single day for the gods. Just as six poojas are performed in a
day at the sanctum sanctorum, six anointing ceremonies are performed for the principal deity
- Nataraja in a year. They are the Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai (in December - January ) indicating
the first puja, the fourteenth day after the new moon (Chaturdashi) of the month of Masi
(February - March) indicating the second pooja, the Chittirai Thiruvonam (in April- May),
indicating the third pooja or uchikalam, the Uthiram of Aani (June–July) also called the Aani
Thirumanjanam indicating the evening or the fourth puja, the chaturdasi of Aavani (August -
September) indicating the fifth puja and the chaturdasi of the month of Puratasi (October -

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November) indicating the sixth pooja or Arthajama. Of these the Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai (in
December - January) and the Aani Thirumanjanam (in June - July ) are the most important.
These are conducted as the key festivals with the main deity being brought outside the sanctum
sanctorum in a procession that included a temple car procession followed by a long anointing
ceremony.  Several hundreds of thousands of people flock the temple to see the anointing
ceremony and the ritualistic dance of Shiva when he is taken back to the sanctum sanctorum.
Lord Shiva, in his incarnation of Nataraja, is believed to have born on full moon day in the
constellation of Ardra, the sixth lunar mansion. Lord Shiva is bathed only 6 times a year, and on
the previous night of Ardra, the bath rituals are performed on a grand scale. Pots full of milk,
pomegranate juices, coconut water, ghee, oil, sandal paste, curds, holy ashes, and other liquids
and solids, considered as sacred offering to the deity are used for the sacred ablution.

A D M I N I S T R A T I O N
The temple is administered by an exclusive group of Brahmins who are learned in the Vedas
and Yagnas (sacrifices) called Dikshitars. The entire community of Diskhitars live
in Chidambaram and also serve as the hereditary trustees of the temple. They are also
called Thillai Muvayiravar or the Three Thousand of Thillai[119] Every Dikshitar once he is
married becomes as of right a trustee and archaka of the temple. A practice unique to the
community is that the priests wear the tuft of hair in front of the head similar to
the Nambuthiri Brahmans of Kerala.
 Thillai Vazh Anthaanar  or Dikshitars are a Vedic Shaiva Brahmin servitor community
of Tamil Nadu who are based mainly in the town of Chidambaram. Smartha (especially
the Vadamas), Sri Vaishnava and other brahmins in South India also carry the surname
Dikshitars, but are different from the Chidambaram Dishitar.
1. They are an exclusive group of Brahmins learned in the Vedas and Yagnas (sacrifices) who
also serve as the hereditary trustees of  Natarajatemple in Chidambaram. They are also
called Thillai Muvayiravar or the Three Thousand of Thilla.
2.  Every Dikshitar once he is married becomes as of right a trustee and archaka of
the Nataraja temple. A practice unique to the community is that the priests wear the tuft of
hair in front of the head similar to the Nambuthiri Brahmans of Kerala.
3. The Dikshithars might be traced back to the first line of Brahmanas who migrated to South
India from the north,as a result of the increasing spread of Jainism and Buddhism there.The
establishment of Mauryan, Satavahana and Kadamba rule in South India also necessitated
the movement of Brahmans into the new regions because these kingdom required trained
ritualists.
4. They are mentioned in the 12th century work, the Periyapuranam of Sekkizhar. They were
originally the ritual arbiters of imperial legitimacy in the Chola Empire, ritually crowning
successive monarchs. This honour was reserved only for rulers belonging to the Chola
dynasty. When Kutruva Nayanar, a chieftain of Kalandai became very powerful as a result
of his conquests, he requested the 3000 of Tillai to crown him as king of the Chola country
but they declined saying that they would only crown a Chola and instead fled to
the Chera country to escape his wrath.
5. In order that he who conquered the world (Kutruvar) may not be bereft of a royal crown he
requested the crowning services of the ancient three thousand servitor priests at
Chidambaram (Thillai). Thereupon the priests refused the same saying that they are entitled

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 to perform the ceremony only to the most deserving of the ancient clan of Sembiyars
(Cholas). Having said this, they quit their dwelling to reach the hill country (Kerala) of the
ancient Chera king.- Periyapuranam

Architectural marvel of Chidambaram Natarajar Temple

BY MAHESH ON OCTOBER 1, 2012

STUNNING FEATURES OF ARCHITECTURAL EXCELLENCY

1. WORLD’S MAGNETIC EQUATOR: The place where temple located is the center point of
world’s magnetic equator. Three of the five Panchaboothasthala temples, those at Kalahasti,
Kanchipuram and Chidambaram all stand on a straight line exactly at 79 degree 41 minutes East
longitude -truly an engineering, astrological and geographical wonder. Of the other two temples,
Tiruvanaikkaval is located at around 3 degrees to the south and exactly 1 degree to the west of
the northern tip of this divine axis, while Tiruvannamalai is around midway (1.5 degree to the
south and 0.5 degree to the west).

“Advanced astrological and geological knowledge “ : Natarajar Temple at Chidambaram is

living testimony of ancient “Advanced astrological and geological knowledge” of Hindus
surpassing to anything contemporary.

The 9 gateways signify the 9 orifices in the human body.The Chitsabai or Ponnambalam, the
sanctum sanctorum represents the heart which is reached by a flight of 5 stairs called the
Panchaatchara padi – pancha meaning 5, achhara – indestructible syllables – “SI VA YA NA
MA”, from a raised anterior dias – the Kanakasabai. The access to the Sabhai is through the sides
of the stage (and not from the front as in most temples).

The 4 VEDAS: The Chit sabha roof is supported by four pillars symbolic of the four Vedas.

28 Pillars”|: The Ponnambalam or the Sanctum sanctorum is held by 28 pillars – representing

the 28 agama s or set methodologies for the worship of Shiva. The roof is held by a set of 64
beams representing the 64 forms of art and is held by several cross-beams representing the
innumerable blood vessels.

The roof has been laid by 21,600 golden tiles with the word SIVAYANAMA inscribed on
them representing 21600 breaths.

72,000 golden nails:  These tiles are fixed using 72,000 golden nails which represents the no. of
nadis exists in human body. The roof is topped by a set of 9 sacred pots or kalasas, representing
the 9 forms of energy. The arthamandapa (sanctum) has six pillars denoting the six shastras (holy
texts).

18 PILLARED HALL: The hall next to the artha mantapa has eighteen pillars symbolizing the
eighteen Puranas . Sri Nataraj Mandir at Satara is a replica of this temple.I’ve been blessed to

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visit this greatest sthalam but did not know these facts. Thanks to my friend for sharing this…We
all do the mistake of not understanding the sthala purana and other important data before we go
to a temple – simply due to lack of time etc. Whoever drew this picture did a fantastic job – just
amazing!

The present temple was built in the 10th century when Chidambaram was the capital of the
Chola dynasty, making it one of the oldest surviving active temple complexes in South India.
After its 10th-century consecration by the Cholas who considered Nataraja as their family
deity, the temple has been damaged, repaired, renovated and expanded through the 2nd
millennium. Most of the temple's surviving plan, architecture and structure is from the late 12th
and early 13th centuries, with later additions in similar style. While Shiva as Nataraja is the
primary deity of the temple, it reverentially presents major themes from Shaktism, Vaishnavism,
and other traditions of Hinduism. The Chidambaram temple complex, for example, has the
earliest known Amman or Devi temple in South India, a pre-13th-century Surya shrine with
chariot, shrines for Ganesha, Murugan and Vishnu, one of the earliest known Shiva Ganga
sacred pool, large mandapas for the convenience of pilgrims (choultry, ambalam or sabha) and
other monuments. Shiva himself is presented as the Nataraja performing the Ananda
Tandava ("Dance of Delight") in the golden hall of the shrine Pon Ambalam.
The temple is one of the five elemental lingas in the Shaivism pilgrimage tradition, and
considered the subtlest of all Shiva temples (Kovil) in Hinduism.  It is also a site for performance
arts, including the annual Natyanjali dance festival on Maha Shivaratri.[1

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Chidambaram is one of the many temple towns in the state which is named after the groves,
clusters or forests dominated by a particular variety of a tree or shrub and the same variety of tree
or shrub sheltering the presiding deity. The town used to be called Thillai, following
Thillaivanam, derived from the mangrove of Tillai trees (Exocoeria agallocha) that grow here
and the nearby Pichavaram wetlands.
The site became the capital of Cholas in the 10th century, and they renamed it to Chidambaram
and built the current temple for their family deity of Nataraja Shiva. The
word Chidambaram comes from the Tamil word Chitrambalam (also spelled Chithambalam)
meaning "wisdom atmosphere". The roots are citt or chitthu means "consciousness or wisdom",
while and ampalam means "atmosphere".This composite word comes from its association with
Shiva Nataraja, the cosmic dancer and the cultural atmosphere for arts. The word Chidambaram
is translated by James Lochtefeld as "clothed in thought".
The town and temple name appears in medieval Hindu texts by various additional names such as
Kovil (lit. "the temple"), Pundarikapuram, Vyagrapuram, Sirrampuram, Puliyur and Chitrakuta.
[20]
 Additional names for Chidambaram in Pallava era and North Indian texts include
Kanagasabainathar, Ponnambalam, Brahmastpuri and Brahmapuri.
LOCATION; The Nataraja temple in Chidambaram is located in the southeastern Indian state of
Tamil Nadu. It is about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of the Kollidam River (Kaveri), 15
kilometres (9.3 mi) west from the coast of Bay of Bengal, and 220 kilometres (140 mi) south
of Chennai. The closest major airport is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) north in Pondicherry
(IATA: PNY). The National Highway 32 (old numbering: NH-45A) passes through
Chidambaram. The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and private companies operate
services connecting it to major cities in the state. The site is linked to the Indian Railways with
daily express trains to South Indian cities.
Chidambaram is a temple town, with the Nataraja complex spread over 40 acres (0.16 km2)
within a nearly square courtyard in the center. Its side roads are aligned to the east–west, north–
south axis. It has double walls around its periphery with gardens. It has had entrance gateways on
all four sides.

Nataraja – Shiva as the cosmic dancer, inspired the 10th-century Chola kings to rebuild the Chidambaram temple with
stone and gold. A silver Nataraja, not Shivalinga, is the principal icon in this temple.

Sharada Srinivasan. (2004). Shiva as “Cosmic Dancer”: On Pallava Origins for the Nataraja
Bronze. World Archaeology, 36(3), 432–450. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4128341.

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Nataraja temple has ancient roots, likely following the temple architecture tradition that is
found all over South India from at least the 5th century. Textual evidence, such as those of the
Sangam tradition, suggest a temple existed here along with Madurai in ancient times but the
town is not named Chidambaram in these pre-5th-century texts. The earliest mention of "dancing
god of Chidambaram" as Shiva is found in 6th- and early-7th-century texts by Appar and
Sambadar. The Suta Samhita embedded inside Sri Kanda Puranam and variously dated between
7th and 10th century mentions the Chidambaram dance. The surviving Nataraja temple has a
structure that is traceable to the early Chola dynasty. Chidambaram was the early capital of this
dynasty, and Shiva Nataraja was their family deity. The Chidambaram temple town remained
important to the Cholas, albeit with increasing competition from other temple towns when
Rajaraja Chola I moved the capital to Thanjavur, built a new city and the
massive Brihadeeswarar Temple dedicated to Shiva in the early 11th century, which is now a
world heritage site.
Nataraja Shiva and his "dance of bliss" is an ancient Hindu art concept. It is found in various
texts such as Tatva Nidhi which describes seven types of dance and their spiritual
symbolism, Kashyapa Silpa which describes 18 dance forms with iconographic details and
design instructions, as well as Bharata's ancient treatise on performance arts Natya
Shastra which describes 108 dance postures among other things. Reliefs and sculptures of
Nataraja have been found across the Indian subcontinent, some dating to the 6th century and
earlier such as in Aihole and Badami cave temples.
The Chidambaram temple built on this heritage, yet creatively evolved the idea into forms not
found elsewhere. The earliest historically verifiable Shiva temple at Chidambaram is traceable in
inscriptions that date to the rule of Aditya Chola I in the early 10th century, and far more during
the rule of the 10th-century Chola king Parantaka I. For them, the dancing Shiva was the kula-
nayaka (family guide or deity) and Chidambaram was the capital they built. [  These inscriptions
and texts from this period suggest that the significance of the Agama texts and Shaiva Bhakti
movement was strengthening within the Chola leadership and thought.
The copper plate inscriptions of Parantaka I (c. 907-955 CE) describe him as the "bee at the lotus
feet of Shiva" who built the golden house for Shiva, with Chit-sabha, Hema-sabha, Hiranya-
sabha and Kanaka-sabha (all mandapam, pillared pilgrim rest places). He is referred to as "Pon
veinda Perumal", which means "one who covered with gold" the Chit-sabha of
Chidambaram. Both Aditya I and his Chola successor Parantaka I were active supporters of arts
and temple building. They converted many older brick and wooden temples into more lasting
temples from cut stone as the building blocks in dozens of places across South India.
Raja Raja Chola I (985-1013 CE) embarked on a mission to recover the hymns of the
63 Nayanmars after hearing short excerpts of the Tevaram in his court. He sought the help
of Nambiyandar Nambi, who was a priest in a temple. It is believed that by divine intervention
Nambi found the presence of scripts, in the form of cadijam leaves half eaten by white ants in a
chamber inside the second precinct in Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram.
The brahmanas (Dikshitars) in the temple are supposed to have disagreed with the king by
saying that the works were too divine, and that only by the arrival of the "Naalvar" (the four
saints)—Appar, Sundarar, Tirugnanasambandar and Manickavasagar would they allow for the
chambers to be opened. Rajaraja, however, created idols of them and prepared for them to be
brought to the temple through a procession. but Rajaraja is said to have prevailed. Rajaraja thus
became known as Tirumurai Kanda Cholan meaning one who saved the Tirumurai.

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After the Pallavas, Chola dynasty became the main power of Southern India and emerged
victorious among other kingdoms. The capital of Chola dynasty was the city of Thanjavur They
advanced as far as Bengal, Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra and had trade links as far as Indonesia.
Their military and economic power was reflected in the grand architectural productions under the
period atThanjavur, Gangaikondcholpuram, Darasuram,Tribhuvanam. They had built more than
two hundred temples which seems to be continuation of previous Pallava architecture with some
variations. These temples amply illustrate the style of architecture between 8th to 12th century
CE and its influence may also be seen on the architecture of temples of Ceylone and those of SE
Asian kingdoms like SriVijay (Sumatra) and Chavakam (Java). RajRaja I has constructed a
Shiva temple at Polanuruva at Sri Lanka in the same pattern of Chola architecture.

An 1847 sketch of gopuram with ruined pillars, published by James Fergusson

In another version of the story, Rajaraja is said to have experienced a dream from
lord Shiva telling Rajaraja that the hymns in Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram are in a state
of destruction and to recover the remaining hymns from the chambers.
The brahmanas (Dikshitars) in the temple, however, are supposed to have disagreed with the
king by saying that the works were too divine to be accessed, and that only by the arrival of the
63 Nayanmars would they allow for the chambers to be opened. Rajaraja, devising a plan,
consecrated idols of each of them and prepared for them to be brought into the temple through a
procession. It is said that the 63 idols are still present in the Thillai Nataraja Temple. When the
vault was opened, Rajaraja is said to have found the room infested with white ants, and that the
hymns were salvaged as much as possible.[The temple, according to inscriptions found in South

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India and Southeast Asia, was also historic recipient of a precious jewel from the king of Angkor
who built the Angkor Wat through Chola king Kulothunga, who submitted it to the temple in
1114 CE. Kulothunga I and his son expanded the Chidambaram Nataraja temple expanse sixfold.
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES Chola temples can be categorised in two groups –
1. Early Temples and
2. Later Temples;
early temples are influenced with Pallava architecture while later have Chalukya influence.
Temples were surrounded by high boundary wall unlike Nagara. The earlier example were
modest in size and while later ones were huge and large with Vimanas or Gopuras dominating
the landscape The spire in in the form of stepped pyramid, popularly known as Vimana. Pallava
influence may be seen in spire/vimana similar to Rathas, an octagon shaped crowning element
known as Shikhara. Panchayatan style, but no vimana on subsidiary shrines Absence of lion
motifs in pillar’s base as seen in the Pallava architecture, but presence of Kudus decoration,
however, it is little bit different with that of Pallavas The temple mostly consists grabhgriha,
antarala, sabhamandapa Presence of water tank inside the boundary of the temple

The raw material used are blocks of gneiss and granite The important example of early group is
Vijayalaya temple while later group represents Brihadishwar temple of Tanjaur and
Brihadishwar temple of Gangaikondcholpuram

Chidambaram temple thrived during the Chola dynasty rule through mid 13th century, along
with the later Shiva-based Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram capitals, as well as Vishnu-
based Srirangam temple towns. Its facilities infrastructure was expanded. Naralokaviran, the
general of king Kulothunga Chola I was responsible for building the steps that lead to Sivaganga
water pool, a goddess shrine, a shrine for child saint Thirugnana Sambanthar, temple gardens and
a pilgrim road network in and around Chidambaram. He constructed a hall for recitation
of Tevaram hymns and engraved the hymns in copper plates. The thousand pillar choultry, with

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friezes narrating Hindu texts, was built in the late 12th century.Between the second half of the
12th century and the early 13th century, the Chola kings added colorful and high gopura stone
gateways as easily identifiable landmarks, starting with the western gopura. Thereafter, about
mid 13th century, the Pandya dynasty ended the Chola dynasty. The Hindu Pandyas were liberal
supporters of Chidambaram temple, along with other Shiva and Vishnu temples, just like the
Chola. Sundara Pandya added the huge eastern gopura at Chidambaram, beginning the colossal
gateway tradition. Most of the structure and plans currently seen in the Chidambaram complex,
including the mandapas with their pillar carvings, the various shrines with polished granite
sculptures, the sacred water pool and the early gopurams are from the 12th and 13th century,
attributed to the late Chola and early Pandya kings.
Invasions

1. Subrahmanya shrine in ruins, early 19th century/ A Mandapam in 1869

2. One of the temple's pillared halls before demolition in the late 19th century.
In the north, the Indian subcontinent had been conquered by the Delhi Sultanate. Muslim armies
had begun raiding central India for plunder by the late 13th century. In 1311, the Ala ud Din
Khilji's Muslim general Malik Kafur and his Delhi Sultanate forces went deeper into the Indian
peninsula for loot and to establish annual tribute paying Muslim governors. The records left by
the court historians of the Delhi Sultanate state that Malik Kafur raided Chidambaram,
Srirangam and other Tamil towms, destroyed the temples, and the Chidambaram Shiva temple
was one of the sources of gold and jewels booty he brought back to Delhi.
The temple towns of Tamil Nadu were again targeted for loot in the 1320s. However, when the
news of another invasion spread in Tamil lands, the community removed them into the Western
Ghats or buried numerous sculptures and treasures in the land and concealed chambers
underneath temples sites before the Muslim armies reached them. A large number of these were
rediscovered in archaeological excavations at the site in and after 1979, including those in
Chidambaram. According to Nagaswamy, those who buried the temple artworks followed the
Hindu Agama texts such as Marici Samhita and Vimanarcanakalpa that recommend ritually
burying precious metal murtis as a means of protection when war and robbery is imminent. Over
200 such items have been recovered, including relevant hordes of copper plate inscriptions.
PATRONAGE: The Islamic invasion in the 14th century, brought an abrupt end to the
patronage of Chidambaram and other temple towns. The Delhi Sultan appointed a Muslim
governor, who seceded within the few years from the Delhi Sultanate and began the Madurai
Sultanate. This Sultanate sought tribute from the temple towns, instead of supporting them. The
Muslim Madurai Sultanate was relatively short lived, with Hindu Vijayanagara Empire removing
it in the late 14th century. The Vijayanagara rulers restored, repaired and expanded the temple
through the 16th century, along with many other regional temples. These kings themselves went
on pilgrimage to Chidambaram, and gifted resources to strengthen its walls and infrastructure.

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The destruction of Vijayanagara Empire in the late 16th century by an alliance of Sultanates,
followed within a few decades by entrance of Portuguese, French and British colonial interests
brought geopolitical uncertainties to Chidambaram and other temple towns. The Portuguese were
already a major Coromandel Coast trading group by the early 17th century, a region to which
Chidambaram belonged. The Portuguese began building forts, garrison and churches in
Coromandel Coast region after the demise of Vijayanagara, triggering the intervention of the
French and the British. By the mid-17th century, the temple complex was within the patronage of
Nayakas, who repaired the temple and repainted the frescoes on mandapa ceilings. According to
Michell, these restorations likely occurred about 1643 CE during the reign of Shrirangadeva
Raya III.
According to British reports, Chidambaram temple town had to bear the "brunt of several severe
onslaughts" between the French and the British colonial forces several times particularly in the
18th century.
Legend
The Chidambaram temple legend is contained in the 12th-century text Chidambara-mahatmya.
The central episode states that Shiva visits sages in the mythical Pine Forest in the form of a
dancer accompanied by Mohini, none other than Vishnu in the avatar of a beautiful woman.
Mohini triggers lustful interest of the sages, while Shiva performs Tandava dance that triggers
the carnal interest of the wives of these sages. The sages ultimately realise how superficial their
austerities have been. The episode becomes widely known. Two sages named Patanjali (also
called Sesha-bodied in the south for his connection to Vishnu) and Vyaghrapada (also called
Tiger-footed sage) want to see the repeat performance of this "dance of bliss" in the Thaillai
forest, Chidambaram. They set up a Shivalinga, pray, meditate and wait. Their asceticism
impresses Shiva who appeared before them in Chidambaram and performed "the dance" against
"the wall, in the blessed hall of consciousness". This is how this temple started, according to the
mahatmya embedded in the Tamil Sthalapurana. The late medieval
text Chidambaramahatmya may reflect a process of Sanskritisation, where these North Indian
named sages with Vedic links became incorporated into regional temple mythology.
According to another Hindu legend, Mahalingaswamy at Thiruvidaimarudur is the centre of all
Shiva temples in the region and the Saptha Vigraha moorthis (seven prime consorts in
all Shiva temples) are located at seven cardinal points around the temple, located in various parts
of the state. The seven deities are Nataraja in Chidambaram Nataraja Temple
at Chidambaram, Chandikeswarar temple at Tirucheingalur, Vinayagar in Vellai Vinayagar
Temple at Thiruvalanchuzhi, Muruga in Swamimalai Murugan
Temple at Swamimalai, Bhairava in Sattainathar Temple at Sirkali, Navagraha in Sooriyanar
Temple at Suryanar Kovil,Dakshinamoorthy in Apatsahayesvarar Temple at Alangudi.[58] and
Somaskanda in Thiyagarajar temple at Thiruvarur.
Nava Puliyur Temples
This is one of the Nava Puliyur Temples worshipped by Patanjali and Vyaghrapada. The
following temples are called as Nava Puliyur Temples.

 Perumpatrapuliyur

12
  Thirupathiripuliyur
 Erukathampuliyur
 Omampuliyur
 Sirupuliyur
 Atthippuliyur
 Thaplampuliyur
 Perumpuliyur
 Kanattampuliyur

Golden Roof, Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram

13
Nataraja temple plan. 1: East gopura; 2: South gopura; 3: West gopura; 4: North gopura; 5: 1000
pillar hall (choultry); 6: Shivaganga pool; 7: Devi temple; 8: Shiva Sanctum + Chit Sabha +
Kanaka Sabha; 9: Vishnu shrine.

Architecture
The temple as it stands had a pre-Chola existence and the architecture is Dravidian with the
Sanctum Sanctorum closely resembling Kerala or Malabar style structures. Indeed, the royal
charters mention the rebuilding of the Sanctum using architects from Kerala. However the
golden roof is a striking example of Vesara architecture with its apsidal shape. Two small
structures called the Chit Sabha and Kanak Sabha form the crux of the vast architectural
complex. The temple is spread over a 40-acre (16 ha) area, within layers of concentric
courtyards. The inner sanctum, its connecting mandapams and pillared halls near it are all either
squares or stacked squares or both. The complex has nine gopurams, several water storage
structures of which the Shivaganga sacred pool is the largest with a rectangular plan. The temple
complex is dedicated to Nataraja Shiva and theological ideas associated with Shaivism concepts
in Hinduism. However, the temple also includes shrines for Devi, Vishnu, Subrahmanyar,
Ganesha, Nandi and others including an Amman shrine, a Surya shrine complete with Chariot
wheels. The plan has numerous gathering halls called sabha, two major choultry called the 100
pillared and 1,000 pillared halls, inscriptions and frescoes narrating Hindu legends about gods,
goddesses, saints and scholars.

Courtyards
The Nataraja Temple complex is embedded inside four prakarams (prakramas, courtyards).
Each of the courtyard has walls that were defensively fortified after the 14th-century plunder and
destruction.

14
Courtyard, Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
The outermost wall around the fourth courtyard has four simple, insignificant gateways. The
walls and gateways of the fourth courtyard were added in the 16th century by Vijayanagara
rulers after they had defeated the Madurai Sultanate, and this outermost layer was heavily
fortified by the Nayakas in the 17th century. These face the four large gopurams that are
gateways into the third courtyard. These gopurams are also landmarks from afar. Inside the third
courtyard, near the northern gopuram, is the Shivaganga tank, the thousand pillar mandapam, the
Subrahmanyar (Murugan, Kartikeya) shrine and the shrine for Parvati (as Shivakama Sundari).
The other three gateways are closer to the sanctum. The four gopurams pilgrims and visitors to
enter the temple from all four cardinal directions. The complex is interconnected through a maze
of pathways.
The courtyard walls and gateways are made from cut stones with some brick structure added in.
The gardens and palm groves are in the fourth courtyard, outside the walls of the third courtyard
walls with the four large gopurams. These were restored or added in by the Vijayanagara rulers
in the 16th century.
Towers: gopurams

Two distinct styled gopurams of the Chidambaram temple. The artwork narrates religious and secular stories from Hindu texts .

The temple has nine major gopuram gateways connecting the various courtyards. Four of these
are huge and colorful, visible from afar, a symbolic and convenient landmark for pilgrims. These
gateway towers or gopurams each have 7 storeys facing the East, South, West and North. The
first edition of the four gopuram superstructures were likely built between 1150 and 1300 CE.
The earliest was likely the western gopuram, which is also the smaller of the four. This is
generally dated to about 1150 CE. The eastern gopura was likely completed by about 1200 CE,
southern gopura by the mid-13th century, while the northern was added in the late 13th century.
The four high gopurams were destroyed, rebuilt, repaired, enlarged and redecorated several times

15
after the 13th century. This has made the gopurams difficult to place chronologically, yet useful
in scholarly studies of the history of the Nataraja temple.
All gopuras are built of precisely cut large stone blocks all the way to the main cornice. Upon
this is a stone, brick and plaster structure with layers of pavilions. Above these talas (storeys) is
a Dravidian style barrel vaulted roof, crowned with thirteen kalasa finials. All four are
approximately similar in size and 14:10:3 ratio, about 42.7 metres (140 ft) high, 30.5 metres
(100 ft) wide and 9.1 metres (30 ft) deep.
Artwork on the gopuram

Nataraja Temple gopuram artwork in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu/ Sculpture in a wall at Nataraja Temple in
Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu

Each gopuram is colorful and unique in its own ways. They narrate stories from various Hindu
texts, showing religious and secular scenes from the various Hindu traditions. This art is
presented in each gopuram with anthropomorphic figure panels and about fifty niches with stone
sculptures in every gopuram. The scenes include multiple panels about the legend of Shiva-
Parvati wedding with Brahma, Vishnu, Saraswati and Lakshmi attending, dancing Ganesha,
Shiva in his various aspects, Durga in the middle of her war with a demon, Skanda ready for war,
seated Nandi, musicians, dancers, farmers, merchants, sadhu in namaste posture, dancing
dvarapalas near the vertical center line and others. The artists and architects who built these
gopura may have had a rationale in the relative sequence and position of the artwork with respect
to each other and on various levels, but this is unclear and a subject of disagreement among
scholars.

16
The artwork on gopuram showing Parvati-Shiva Kalyanasundara wedding legend. Near the newly weds are
Saraswati, Lakshmi, Vishnu and others.

The earliest built western gopuram is the only one with inscriptions below each artwork that
identifies what it is. The artwork on it includes Durga fighting the evil, shape shifting buffalo
demon and Skanda sitting on peacock and dressed up for war. Other artwork found on the
eastern gopuram include Surya, Ganapati, Vishnu, Sridevi (Lakshmi), Tripurasundari, Brahma,
Saraswati, Varuna, Durga, Agni, several rishis, Yamuna goddess, Kama and Rati, Budha, the
Vedic sages such as Narada and Agastya, Pantanjali, Somaskanda legend, Ardhanarishvara (half
Shiva, half Parvati), Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva), several forms of dancing Shiva and
others.
The surviving south gopuram called the Sokkaseeyan Thirunilai Ezhugopuram was constructed
by a Pandya king identified from the presence of the dynasty's fish emblem sculpted on the
ceiling. The Pandyas sculpted two fishes facing each other when they completed gopurams (and
left it with one fish, in case it was incomplete). Other artwork found on the southern gopuram
include Chandesha, Ganapati, Vishnu, Sridevi (Lakshmi), several Devis, Brahma, Saraswati,
Surya, Chandra, Durga, Indra, Agni, several rishis, Ganga and Yamuna goddesses, Kama and
Rati, Budha, the Vedic sages such as Narada, Pantanjali, Somaskanda legend, Ardhanarishvara
(half Shiva, half Parvati), Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva), several forms of dancing and
standing Shiva such as Pashupata, Kiratarjuna and Lingobhava, as well as others.

The eastern gopura wall shows all 108 dance postures from the Natya Shastra. The other gopuras
also have dance images.
The eastern gopuram features the 108 reliefs of Natya Shastra dance postures (22 cm each in a
separate niche) and faces the sanctum. The eastern gopuram is credited to king Koperunsingan II
(1243-1279 A.D.) as per epigraphical recordsand was repaired with support from a woman
named Subbammal in the late 18th century.
The northern gopuram was repaired and finished by
the Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya (1509-1530 A.D.) in the 16th century. The eastern and
northern gopura also depicts the wide range of narratives as the southern and western gopuram.
The idols of Pachaiappa Mudaliar and his wife Iyalammal have been sculpted on the
eastern gopuram. The Pachaiappa Trust to date has been responsible for various functions in the
temple and also maintain the temple car. The eastern gopuram is renowned for its complete

17
enumeration of 108 poses of Indian classical dance – Bharathanatyam, detailed in small
rectangular panels along the passage that leads to the gateway.
Shrines

The Chidambaram temple complex includes gopura, vimana and the sacred pool.

The temple complex has many shrines, most related to Shaivism but elements of Vaishnavism
and Shaktism are included. The innermost structures such as the sanctum and the shrines all have
square plans, but the gateways do not align except the innermost two courtyards.
Shaivism The sanctum of the temple is set inside the innermost 1st prakara which is a square
with about 44 metres (144 ft) side. This prakara is offset towards the west inside the 2nd prakara,
which is also a square with about 105 metres (344 ft) side. The Shiva sanctum is unusual as it
does not have a Shivalinga, rather it has the Chit Sabha (consciousness gathering, also called chit
ambalam) with an image of Shiva Nataraja. This introspective empty space has a curtained space
that is 3.5 meter long and 1.5 meter wide. It is called the rahasya (secret) in Hindu texts. It
consists of two layers, one red, the other black. According to George Michell, this is a
symbolism in Hinduism of "enlightenment inside, illusion outside". It is replaced on the tenth
day of the main festivals. The Chidambaram Rahasya is the "formless" representation of Shiva as
the metaphysical Brahman in Hinduism, sometimes explained as akasha linga and divine being
same as Self (Atman) that is everywhere, in everything, eternally.
Facing the Chit Sabha is the Kanaka Sabha (also called pon ambalam), or the gathering of
dancers. These two sanctum spaces are connected by five silver gilded steps called
the panchakshara. The ceiling of the Chit Sabha is made of wooden pillars coated with gold,
while copper coats the Kanaka Sabha is copper colored.

18
Durga in the Shivakamasundari shrine, in her Mahishasuramardini form killing the buffalo
demon below her foot.
Shaktism
The main Devi shrine in the Nataraja temple complex is offset towards the north of the sanctum
inside the third prakara, and found to the west of the Shivaganga pool. It is called the
Shivakamasundari shrine, dedicated to Parvati. The temple faces east and has an embedded
square plan, though the stacked squares created a long rectangular space. The shrine has its own
walls and an entrance gateway (gopura). Inside is the dedicated mandapas and brightly colored
frescoes likely from the 17th-century Vijayanagara period. These narrate the story of Shiva and
Vishnu together challenging the "learned sages, ascetics and their wives" in the forest, by
appearing in the form of a beautiful beggar that dances (bhikshatanamurti) and a beautiful girl
that seduces (Mohini) respectively. Another set of frescoes are secular depicting temple
festivities and daily life of people, while a stretch narrates the story of Hindu saints named
Manikkavachakar and Mukunda.
The shrine had artwork narrating the Devi Mahatmya, a classic Sanskrit text of Shaktism
tradition. However, in 1972, these were removed given their dilapidated state. These were
replaced with a different story. Other parts of the paintings and shrine also show great damage.
The sanctum of the Shivakamasundari shrine is dedicated to Devi, where she is Shiva's
knowledge (jnana shakti), desire (iccha sakti), action (kriya sakti) and compassion (karuna
sakti). The oldest Shivakamasundari sculpture at the site representing these aspects of the
goddess has been dated to the king Parantaka I period, about 950 CE.
Vaishnavism
The Nataraja temple complex incorporates Vaishnava themes and images like many Hindu
temples in South India. A Vishnu shrine, for example, is found inside the sanctum of the temple
in its southwest corner. According to George Michell and others, Chola kings revered Shiva with
Tyagaraja and Nataraja their family deity, yet their urban Shaiva centers "echo a very strong
substratum of Vaishnava traditions". This historic inclusiveness is reflected in Chidambaram
with Vishnu Govindaraja in the same sanctum home by the side of Nataraja. After the turmoil of

19
the 14th century when the temple was attacked and looted, there was period when some priests
sought to restore only Shaiva iconography according to extant Portuguese Jesuit records.
However, the Vijayanagara rulers insisted on the re-consecration of all historic traditions. The
temple inscriptions confirm that Vishnu was included along with Shiva in the temple's earliest
version, and was reinstalled when the temple was reopened by the Vijayanagara kings.
Some texts from the time of king Kulottunga II give conflicting reports, wherein the Shaiva texts
state that the king removed the Vishnu image while Vaishnava texts state that they took it away
and installed it in Tirupati, sometime about 1135 CE. The scholar Vedanta Desika re-established
the co-consecration in 1370 CE, about the time Vijayanagara Empire conquered Chidambaram
and northern Tamil lands from the Madurai Sultanate. The current shrine, states Michell, is from
1539 financed by king Achyutaraya and it features a reclining figure of Vishnu.
The Govindaraja shrine is one of the 108 holy temples of Vishnu called divyadesam, revered by
the 7th-to-9th-century saint poets of Vaishnava tradition, Alwars.[93] Kulashekhara
Alwar mentions this temple as Tillai Chitrakutam and equates Chitrakuta of Ramayana fame
with this shrine. The shrine has close connections with the Govindaraja temple in Tirupati dating
back to saint Ramanuja of the 11th and 12th centuries.

The circumambulation paths in shrines, the mandapa's moulded plinth and the pilgrim hall pillars
of the Nataraja temple are carved with reliefs showing dancers and musicians.
Others
The Nataraja temple has a pre-13th-century Surya shrine. The image is unusual as it depicts a
three headed Surya same as Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, with eight hands holding iconographic
items of these deities, along with two lotuses in a pair of hands in front, accompanied by two
small female figures possibly Usha and Pratyusha, standing on a chariot drawn by seven horses
and Aruna as charioteer. The temple also has a significant shrine for Ganesha in the southwest
corner and a Subrahmanyar shrine in the northwest corner of the third courtyard.
Halls: sabha
The temple has many halls called sabha (lit. "community gathering", also
called ambalams or sabhai) inside the complex. Two of these are the Chit Sabha and the Kanaka
Sabha inside the sanctum area of the Nataraja shrine, described earlier. The other halls are:

20
Nritta sabha- DANCE HALLS
Nrithya sabha (also called Nritta Sabha, Natya sabha, or "Hall of Dance") is a "so-called 56-
pillared" hall. It is in the south section of the second courtyard that circumambulates the Nataraja
sanctum of the complex. This second courtyard is near the temple's flag mast (kodi
maram or dwaja sthambam). The 13th-century Nritta Sabha is traditionally considered as the
place where Shiva and Kali originally entered into a dance competition. Shiva won with
the urdhva-tandava pose that raised his right leg straight up, a posture that Kali refused because
she was a woman. The hall is rectangular consisting of three stacked squares, a 15-meter-sided
square that is the main hall, which is connected to 4 meters by 8 meters rectangular mukha-
mandapa to its north. The hall now has 50 pillars, but evidence suggests that it may have had 56
or more pillars earlier. These pillars are intricately carved from top to bottom. The lower levels
have dancers in Natya Shastra mudras accompanied with expressive musicians as if both are
enjoying creating the music and the dance. The pillars also have embedded narratives of legends
from Hindu texts, such as of Durga fighting the buffalo demon, as well as humorous dwarfs
frolicking. Below the kapota, the structures show reliefs of seated people, many
in namaste posture, some with a beard and yogi like appearance representing saints and rishis.
Nearly 200 of these are still visible, rest appear to have been damaged or eroded over time.
The Nritta Sabha platform's base is carved as a chariot, with horses and wheels, as if it is rising
out the ground. Historic texts state that the wheels were exquisitely carved and visible in the past,
each about 1.25 meter diameter with 28 spokes and 33 medallions, the chariot had 1.55-meter-
high (5.1 ft) ornamented horses, on the wheel was a seated rishi as if he was guiding the
movement. Only remnants of this structure remains now. The northern niche of the hall is carved
with 14 figures in addition to Shiva as Kanakamurti. The Shiva image had been damaged and is
now restored. The 14 figures include Surya (sun god), Chandra (moon god) and 12 rishis of
which Narada and Tumburu with Vina can be identified, the others have been too damaged to
identify but are likely Vedic rishis. Near them are women in seductive postures, some nudes,
likely the wives of the rishis.  Next to the northern niche with Shiva are two smaller niches, one
for Patanjali seated on coiled serpent and another for bald headed Vyaghrapada, the two mythical
Chidambaram saints. The western wall also has a niche with a large Shiva image in his
Vrisabhantika form. Once again rishis are with him, this time in namaste posture. A few figures
are dressed royally like warriors and these may be representation of the Chola kings.
The hall's center is an open square, with an ornate inverted lotus ceiling decoration. Around this
lotus are 108 coffers, each with two human figures in namaste posture, all oriented to be along
the north–south axis likely to suggest the direction to performance artists who would perform
live and aligning themselves to the chit sabha in the sanctum.

Carved pillars in a temple hall./The damaged 1,000 pillar hall.

21
22
 ceiling

23
Raja sabha: 1,000 pillar hall
Raja sabha or the 1000-pillared hall is to the east of the Shivaganga pool, in the northeast part of
the third courtyard. A pillared pathway from the eastern gopuram leads to it. It was a choultry for
pilgrims with a convenient access to the pool. The hall's lower mouldings have dance mudras and
medieval era musical instruments being played by musicians. The pillars have reliefs. It is now
kept closed, except for festivals.
Shatasila sabha: 100 pillar hall[

This is northwest of the sanctum, south of the Devi shrine. It is badly damaged and closed to
public.
Deva sabha
Deva Sabhai is on the eastern side of the second courtyard. It is called Perampalam, literally
"Great Hall" in the inscriptions, which suggests that it is an early structure and was historically
important. According to Nanda and Michell, this may be the hall where Shaiva bhakti
saints Nayanars came and sang hymns. It may also have hosted royal visits during the Chola era
times.

24
The Deva sabha (divine gathering hall) houses the temple's revered collection of historic bronze
sculptures and modern era frescoes. One of the paintings show Parvati seated in a chair,
watching the Nrtta sabha hall.

Temple Tanks
Sacred pool sketched in the 1870s.

It is locally called the Sivaganga (சிவகங்கை).

The Chidambaram temple is well endowed with several water bodies within and around the
temple complex.

 Sivaganga tankis in the third corridor of the temple opposite to

the shrine of Shivagami. It is accessed by flights of stone steps
leading from the shrine.[
 Paramanandha koobham is the well on the eastern side of the
Chitsabha hall from which water is drawn for sacred purposes.

Temple Tank in Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram

 Kuyya theertham is situated to the north-east of Chidambaram in Killai near

the Bay of Bengal and has the shore called Pasamaruthanthurai.
 Pulimedu is situated around a kilometer and a half to the south of
Chidambaram.
 Vyagrapatha Theertham is situated on to the west of the temple opposite to the
temple of Ilamai Akkinaar
 Anantha Theertham is situated to the west of the temple in front of the
Anantheswarar temple.
 Nagaseri tank is situated to the west of the Anantha thirtham

25
  Brahma Theertham is situated to the north-west of the temple at
Thirukalaanjeri.
 Underground channels at the shrine drain excess water in a northeasterly
direction to the Shivapriyai temple tank of the Thillai Kali Temple,
Chidambaram. Due to poor maintenance, it has not been in use
 Thiruparkadal is the tank to the south-east of the Shivapriyai tank
Inscriptions
Even though the history of the temple goes back to the Prabhandas and Tevaram, that is
the Pallava period, the earliest known inscriptions are only that of Rajendra
Chola and Kulothunga I followed by Vikrama Chola and other later rulers. The Nataraja temple
inscriptions are notable for mentioning a library of manuscripts in temple premises. Two
inscriptions dated to the early 13th century mention re-organization of old temple library.
According to Hartmut Scharfe, the older library mentioned may date to the early 12th century.
The inscriptions, states Scharfe, recite that the temple employed twenty librarians, of which eight
copied old manuscripts to create new editions, two verified the copy matched the original and
four managed the proper storage of the manuscripts.
There are many Chola inscriptions in the temple, both in Tamil and Sanskrit. These are attributed
to Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044 CE), Kulothunga Chola I (1070-1120 CE), Vikrama
Chola (1118-1135 CE), Rajadhiraja Chola II (1163 -1178 CE), Kulothunga Chola III (1178-1218
CE) and Rajaraja Chola III (1216-1256 CE). Pandya inscriptions date from Thribhuvana
Chakravarthi Veerapandiyan, Jataavarman Thribhuvana Chakravarthi Sundarapaandiyan (1251-
1268 CE) and Maaravarman Thribhuvana Chakravarthi Veerakeralanaagiya Kulashekara
Pandiyan (1268-1308 CE). Pallava inscriptions are available for king Avani Aala Pirandhaan
Ko-pperum-Singha (1216-1242 CE). Vijayanagara Kings mentioned in inscriptions are
Veeraprathaapa Kiruttina Theva Mahaaraayar (1509-1529 CE), Veeraprathaapa Venkata Deva
Mahaaraayar, Sri Ranga Theva Mahaaraayar, Atchyutha Deva Mahaaraayar (1529-1542 CE) and
Veera Bhooopathiraayar. One of the inscriptions from the descendant of Cheramaan Perumal
nayanar, Ramavarma Maharaja has been found.
Temple Car

The temple car of Natraja used during festival processions./ An 1820 painting of Nataraja in a temple chariot.

26
Temple carsare chariots that
are used to carry representations of Hindu gods. The car is usually
used on festival days, when many people pull the cart.
The size of the largest temple cars inspired the Anglo-Indian term Juggernaut (from Jagannath),
signifying a tremendous, virtually unstoppable force or phenomenon.
The procession of the Asia's largest and greatest temple car of Thiruvarur Thiyagarajar
Temple in Tamil Nadu features prominently in an ancient festival held in the town.[3] The annual
chariot festival of the Thygarajaswamy temple is celebrated during April – May, corresponding
to the Tamil month of Chitrai. The chariot is the largest of its kind in Asia and India weighing
300 tonne with a height of 90 feet. The chariot comes around the four main streets surrounding
the temple during the festival. The event is attended by lakhs of people from all over Tamil Nadu
The Aazhi Ther is the biggest temple chariot in Tamil Nadu. The 30-foot tall temple car, which
originally weighed 220 ton, is raised to 96 feet with bamboo sticks and decorative clothes, taking
the its total weight to 350 tons. Mounted on the fully decorated temple car, the presiding deity –
Lord Shiva – went around the four streets with the devotees pulling it using huge ropes. Two
bulldozers were engaged to provide the required thrust so that devotees could move the chariot.[5]
As of 2004, Tamil Nadu had 515 wooden carts, 79 of which needed repairs. Annamalaiyar
Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Chidambaram Natarajar Temple are among the temples that possess
these huge wooden chariots for regular processions. The Natarajar Temple celebrates the chariot
festival twice a year; once in the summer (Aani Thirumanjanam, which takes place between June
and July) and another in winter (Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai, which takes place between
December and January). Lord Krishna of Udupi has five temple cars, namely Brahma ratha (the

largest), Madya ratha (mediu
m), kinyo (small), and the silver and gold rathas.

27
28
The Chidambaram temple car is used for processions twice a year, where it is drawn by several
thousand devotees during the festivals. There are five temple cars, with the biggest one for Lord
Nataraja. The main deity in the sanctum santorum will be taken out on the procession, unlike the
other temples where Utsava idols are generally taken out. The four feet idols of Lord Nataraja
and Goddess Sivagamasundari, adorned with precious gem-studded jewellery and flowers, are
taken out of the main sanctum amidst a grand number of devotees in a golden platforms. Fifties
of men hold the huge wooden log connected to the platform making a circumbulation around the
Chitsaba, before being taken out to the temple car. After the procession across four car streets,
the deities are taken in a similar fashion to the Rajasabha at night, where Laksharchana happens
(chanting the 1000 names of Lord Nataraja by 100 priests; laksha - 1 lakh). The next day, before
dawn, the deities are bathed with holy products. Unlike other temples, the holy bathing ritual
goes for 4–5 hours which consists of several products like milk, holy ash, turmeric, curd, honey,
rose water sugarcane juice, fruits, flowers, coconut water. For every Mahabisheka during
Margazhi festival, Swarnabhisheka is done (bath with golden coins). After abisheka, Lord
Nataraja and Goddess Sivagamasundari offers ROYAL DARSHAN to devotees in the Rajasabha

29
(the royal hall). Around late afternoon, the deities are taken inside temple in a grandeur manner,
which forms the prime Arudhra Darshan (Margazhi festival) or Uttra Darshan (Aani
Thirumanjanam festival). These two annual festivals coincidence with Winter and Summer
solstice (of Northern Hemisphere), respectively.
Significance of the architecture
The temple sanctum contains a silver sculpture of Shiva in his Ānanda-tāṇḍava Nataraja aspect.
It signifies:

 The demon under Lord Nataraja's feet signifies that ignorance is

under His feet.
 The fire in His hand (power of destruction) means He is the
destroyer of evil.
 The raised hand (Abhaya or Pataka mudra) signifies that He is
the savior of all life forms.[113]
 The arc of fire called Thiruvashi or Prabhavati signifies the
cosmos and the perpetual motion of the earth.
 The drum in His hand signifies the origin of life forms.
 The lotus pedestal signifies Om, the sound of the universe.
 His right eye, left eye and third eye signify the sun, moon and
fire/knowledge, respectively.
 His right earring (makara kundalam) and left earring (sthri
kundalam) signify the union of man and woman (right is man,
left is woman).
 The crescent moon in His hair signifies benevolence and beauty.
 The flowing of river Ganges through His matted hair signifies
eternity of life.
 The dreading of His hair and drape signify the force of His dance.
[113]

6.

Sri Rama sculpture with Seeta and Lakshmana

 

30
 7.

Sculpture of Vishnu seated on Garuda

 

8.

Dilapidated sculpture
 

9.

Thousand Pillared Hall

 Dance and performance arts are not unique to Shiva in Hindu texts, including the Tamil
literature. Many other deities, including Vishnu, Durga, Krishna, Ganesha, Kartikeya are all
envisioned as dancers amongst other things. However, with Shiva the idea is most evolved.[31]

^ Sharada Srinivasan states that the Nataraja bronze has roots in 7th- to 9th-century Pallava
innovations.

 Srinivasan, Sharada (2004). "Shiva as 'cosmic dancer': On Pallava origins for the Nataraja
bronze".  World Archaeology. Informa UK Limited. 36  (3): 432–450. 

31
32
33
 Chidambaram Temple
Center Of Earths Magnetic Field Cdm Tmpl City

After 8 long years of research, Western scientists have proved that at Lord Nataraja's Temple
Chidambaram, in Tamil nadu, the big toe is the Centre Point of World 's Magnetic Equator.

It has been proved by our ancient Tamil ScholarThirumoolar about Five thousand years ago! His
treatiseThirumandiram is a wonderful Scientific guide for the whole world.

Chidambaram temple embodies the following characteristics :

1) This temple is located at the Center Point of world 's Magnetic Equator.

2) Of the "Pancha bootha" i.e. 5 temples, Chidambaram denotes the skies. Kalahasthi denotes
Wind. Kanchi Ekambareswar denotes land. All these 3 temples are located in a straight line at 79
34
degrees 41 minutes Longitude. This can be verified using Google. An amazing fact &
astronomical miracle !

3) Chidambaram temple is based on the Human Body having 9 Entrances denoting 9 Entrances
or Openings of the body.

4) Temple roof is made of 21600 gold sheets which denotes the 21600 breaths taken by a human
being every day (15 x 60 x 24 = 21600)

5) These 21600 gold sheets are fixed on the Gopuram using 72000 gold nails which denote the
total no. of Nadis (Nerves) in the human body. Thesetransfer energy to certain body parts that are
invisible.

6) Thirumoolar states that man represents the shape of Shivalingam, which again represents
Chidambaram .this represents Sadashivam which represents HIS dance !

7) "Ponnambalam " is placed slightly tilted towards the left. This represents ourHeart. To reach
this, we need to climb 5 steps called "Panchatshara padi"Si, Va, Ya, Na, Ma " are the 5
Panchatshara mantras.
There are 4 pillars holding the Kanagasabha representing the 4 Vedas.

8) Ponnambalam has 28 pillars denoting the 28 "Ahamas "as well as the 28

methods to worship Lord Shiva. These 28 pillars support 64+64 Roof Beams which denote the
64 Arts. The cross beams represent the Blood Vessels running across the Human body.

9) 9 Kalasas on the Golden Roof represent the 9 types of Sakthi or Energies.

The 6 pillars at the Artha Mantapa represent the 6 types of Sashtras.
The 18 pillars in theadjacent Mantapa represents 18 Puranams.

10) The dance of Lord Nataraja is described as Cosmic Dance by Western Scientists. Whatever
Science is propounding now has been stated by by our saints thousands of years ago

CHIDAMBARAM TEMPLE SECRET‐ CENTER OF MAGNETIC FIELD OF EARTH

35
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE – CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM:
LORD SHIVA’S ESSENCE IN THIS IMAGE IS DESCRIBED AS “ARDHANARISHWARA”,
HALF‐MALE AND HALF‐FEMALE, A PERFECT UNION OF MATTER, ENERGY, AND THE

36
ENERGY CONTROLLER
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE: CHIDAMBARA RAHASYAM – THE GREAT MYSTERY OF CHIDAMBARAM.
LORD NATARAJA DESTROYS MAN’S IGNORANCE TO RELEASE MAN FROM THE INFLUENCE OF COSMIC ILLUSION.

37
SPIRITUALITY SCIENCE – ESSENCE AND EXISTENCE: IN BOTH CHRISTIAN AND
INDIAN TRADITIONS, EARTH IS THOUGHT TO BE THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. IN
INDIA, CHIDAMBARAM IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE. THE PLACE IS VIEWED AS
THE CENTRE OF GEOMAGNETIC EQUATOR OF PLANET EARTH. THE GREEN
HORIZONTAL LINE REPRESENTS THE GEOMAGNETIC EQUATOR.

After 8 years of R & D, Western scientists have proved that at Lord Nataraja 's big toe is the
Centre Point of World 's Magnetic Equator.
Our ancient Tamil Scholar Thirumoolar has proved this Five thousand
 years ago! His treatise THIRUMANDIRAM is a wonderful Scientific guide for the whole
world.

To understand his studies, it may need a 100 years for us.

Chidambaram, in Southern India’s state of Tamil Nadu, is also known as Thillai, since the place
was originally a forest of the thillai shrubs. It is an important pilgrim center, a major shrine of
Lord Shiva and as the famous Nataraja Temple. In fact, Chidambaram offers a combination of
the three aspects of Shiva worship – the form Lord Nataraja (dance), the form and the
formlessness (linga) and the formless omnipresence.The temple has influenced worship,
architecture, sculpture and performance art for over two millennium. Now, that is an old temple.
 The ancient temple is located in the center of the town and covers 40 acres with four sevenstory

38
gopurams ( those huge gateways facing North, South East and West) each with around fifty stone
sculptures. There are also five sabhas or courts. The presiding deity of the temple is formless,
represented by air, one of the five elements of the universe.  The temple is dedicated to Lord
Nataraja, and is unique as it one of the rare temples where Shiva is represented by an idol rather
than the customary lingam. (I’d been introduced to lingams earlier, they are black phallic looking
statues.) This temple also has exquisite carvings of Bharathanatya dance postures, the Classical
Dance of Tamil Nadu. At Chidambaram, the dancer dominates, not the linga.
Temple dancer The eastern tower of the temple rises to a height of 134 feet with 108
Bharathanatyam dance poses as well as on Western tower. The Northern tower rises to a height
of 140 feet and is the tallest. This temple is also noted for its Gold Plated roof that adorns the
sanctum sanctorum, or called the kanakasabha. NonHindus are not allowed inside the sanctum
sanctorum.  The temple as it stands is mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries, with later
additions in similar style. It was believed to have been originally constructed during the early
Chola period (900’s AD).

Chidambaram temple embodies the following characteristics :

1) This temple is located at the Center Point of world 's Magnetic Equator.
2) Of the "Pancha bootha" i.e. 5 temples, Chidambaram denotes the Skies. Kalahasthi denotes
Wind. Kanchi Ekambareswar denotes land. All these 3 temples are located in a straight line at 79
degrees 41 minutes Longitude. This can be verified using Google. An amazing fact &
astronomical miracle !
3) Chidambaram temple is based on the Human Body having 9 Entrances denoting 9 Entrances
or Openings of the body.
4) Temple roof is made of 21600 gold sheets which denotes the 21600 breaths taken by a human
being every day (15 x 60 x 24 = 21600)
5) These 21600 gold sheets are fixed on the Gopuram using 72000 gold nails which denote the
total no. of Nadis (Nerves) in the human body. These transfer energy to certain body parts that
are invisible.
6) Thirumoolar states that man represents the shape of Shivalingam, which represents
Chidambaram which represents Sadashivam which represents HIS dance !
7) "Ponnambalam " is placed slightly tilted towards the left. This represents our Heart. To reach
this, we need to climb 5 steps called "Panchatshara padi " "Si, Va, Ya, Na, Ma " are the 5
Panchatshara mantras.
There are 4 pillars holding the Kanagasabha representing the 4 Vedas.
8) Ponnambalam has 28 pillars denoting the 28 "Ahamas "as well as the 28 methods to worship
Lord Shiva. These 28 pillars support 64 +64 Roof Beams which denote the 64 Arts. The cross
beams represent the Blood Vessels running across the Human body.
9) 9 Kalasas on the Golden Roof represent the 9 types of Sakthi or Energies.
The 6 pillars at the Artha Mantapa represent the 6 types of Sashtras.
39
The 18 pillars in the adjacant Mantapa represents 18 Puranams.
10) The dance of Lord Nataraja is described as Cosmic Dance by Western Scientists.
Whatever Science is propounding now has been stated by Hinduism thousands of years ago  
Greatness Of Temple:

 Lord Shiva is in three forms in Chidambaram, as visible idol form, formless as Akasha or space
and form and formless as a Spatika Linga. What is Chidambara Rahasyam – secret:  There is
small entrance near Lord Sabanayaka in the Chit Saba.  The screen is removed and an arati is
offered.  There is nothing in a form inside.  But there hangs a golden Vilwa garland without a
Murthi.  The secret is that Lord is here as Akasha which has no beginning or an end.  This can be
understood only by experience.  Of the Panchabhoodha Sthals, Chidambaram belongs to Akasha.
Chit + Ambaram= Chidambaram.  Chit means wisdom.  Ambaram means broad open space not
measurable.  “We have nothing with us” is the lesson from this philosophy.  The reputation of
Chidambaram is still greater, because it is here that the hymns of three great Saivite Saints were
discovered.  They sang thousands of hymns in many Shiva Sthals they visited.  Where were they
for the use of the devotees?  Tirunarayur Nambiandar Nambi and king Tirumurai Kanda
Chozhan fell at the feet of Lord Polla Pillayar – Vinayaka to guide them in the matter.  With the
blessings of Lord Vinayaka, they came to know that all these great spiritual literatures with the
signatures of the respective authors are hidden in this temple.  They rushed to Chidambaram and
worshipped the authors with respectful festivals.  They found the palm leaves covered by anthill
and mostly consumed by insects.  Yet they picked up the available full leaves and saved them.
All these invaluable spiritual literatures would have been totally lost but for the painstaking and
devout labour of Nambiandar Nambigal and Tirumurai Kanda Chozhan.  

Chidambaram Lord Nataraja probably is the first social reformer.  Nandanar, a dalit farm worker
was a staunch Shiva devotee.  He desired to have the darshan of Lord but could not secure a
holiday from his upper caste boss who said that as a low born he was not entitled for the
privilege.  Nandanar did not lose hope.  Naalai Pohalam – Let me go tomorrow – was his hope.
After many tomorrows, he finally reached Chidambaram but could not enter the temple due to
his community problem.  He tried to have the glimpse of Lord, but Nandhi the bull vehicle of
Lord Shiva blocked the view.  Lord asked Nandhi to move and enabled Nandanar to have his
darshan.  Nandanar attained salvation here and merged with Lord to the shock and surprise of the
upper class. It is said that the four Saivite Saints entered the temple through the four entrances of
the temple, Manickavasagar through the east, Gnanasambandar from south, Appar from west and
Sundarar from the north.  ApparTirunavukkarasar did his Angapradakshina in the car strees
(Ratha Veedhi) of Chidambaram.  Saint Manickavasagar cured the dumb daughter of the
Buddhist king of Lanka with the blessings of Lord in the temple.  There are five Sabhas in the
temple – Chittrambalam, Ponnambalam, Perambalam, Niruddha Sabha and Rajatha Sabha.  

The shrines of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are so structured that the devotee can have twin
40
darshan from one spot in the temple.  This is a temple where Brahmma, Vishnu and Rudra grace
the devotees together.   Saint Arunagirinathar had praised Lord Muruga of this temple in ten of
his Tirupugazh hymns.  Many believe that Lord Nataraja is the presiding deity of this temple.
The presiding deity is Adhimoola Nathar in the Linga form.  Sages Patanjali and Vyakrapada
wished that people of this earth too should have the chance to view and enjoy the great dance of
Lord Shiva performed at Mount Kailash.  They came to earth and sat in penance on
Adhimoolanathar for the purpose.  Responding to their selfless penance for the common people,
Lord Shiva along with Tri Sahasra Muniswaras – 3000 sages came to this place and granted His
dance darshan in Thai month (JanuaryFebruary) on Poosam Star day at 12.00 a.m.  These 3000
Muniswaras then came to known as Thillai Moovayiravar.   Chidambaram is a holy place that
ensures total salvation to the souls.  For salvation, one should have his/her birth at Tiruvarur or
live in Kanchi or think of Tiruvannamalai or die in Kasi.  If one worships Lords Tirumoolanathar
and Nataraja at Chidambaram at least once in life time, salvation is reserved for the soul.

  Despite strong opposition to Nandanar to enter the temple due to community reasons, he
entered the temple with all honours and merged with the Lord. His bhaktidevotion was too deep
and true that transcended all blockades of caste discriminations.  Every one in the world,
irrespective of race, colour, country, language, religion throng he temple for Lord Nataraja
darshan and also participate in pulling the carrath. Lord Brahmma organized a yajna and invited
the 3000 Muniswaras to join in the pujas.  They simply replied that no great soulful gain could
be achieved  by attending the yajna than the darshan of Nataraja at Thillai Chidambaram.  Lord
advised them to go and attend the yajna and promised to appear there at the end of the yajna.
That form of His appearance in the Brahmma Loka is praised as Rathna Sabapathy.  This idol is
under the Nataraja idol.  Every day, between 10.00 a.m and 11.00 a.m. Arati is shown to Lord
Rathna Sabapathi, both at front and back.  There is a similarity in the design of Nataraja shrine
and the human body, it is said.  The 21,600 golden tiles engraved with the Na Ma Shi Va Ya
mantra represent the number of times one breathes each day.  The 72,000 nails used in the
Ponnambalam represent the number of nerves of the human body.  The 9 entrances represent the
nine conveniences in the body activating our movements.  Five steps to Ponnambalam represent
the five letters of Na Ma Shi Va Ya Mantra.  Wooden supports numbering 64 represent 64 arts,
96 windows the 96 philosophies, the pillars the 4 Vedas, 6 Sastras and Panchaboodas.  Sri
Chakra installed by Acharya Adi Sankara is in the Ambica shrine. The Arthajama puja in the
temple has its own significance when, it is believed that all other Gods assemble here for
worship.  Great Saivite poet Sekkizhar released His magnum Opus Periapuranam in this temple.
Saint Arunagiriar had praised Lord Muruga of this temple in his Tirupugazh hymns.
  

Temple History:

 Sage Vasishta, revered as leader of Rishis had a relative Madyandinar by name.  He had a son
named Maadyandinar (the first name is short in sound, the next longer – spelling differs).  Sage
41
Vasishta advised that the boy should worship the Swayambulinga in Thillai Vanam forests for
gaining complete spiritual wisdom.  Son Maadyandinar reached this place.  He was sad that he
lost his puja time in picking up flowers after sunrise and these flowers were not pure as the
honey in the same are taken away by the bees.  He appealed to Lord Shiva saying that he was
unable to pick the flowers in darkness due to lack of light and the flowers become unfit if picked
after sunrise. Lord granted him hands and legs as that of a tiger to climb the tree and a bright
vision to the eyes functioning well even in utter darkness.  Lord also said that he would be
known henceforth as Vyakrapada as had the legs as a tiger.  Vyakrapada was 
too happy with the boon and name and continued his worship in Thillai.

 Thillai Nataraja Kovil (or Temple, in English) situated in Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu is
dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is worshiped in the form of Nataraja in dancing posture. The
Presiding Deity of the temple is Thirumoolanathar (Lord Shiva) and the Goddess of the temple is
Umayambikai (Goddess Parvathi).The unique feature of the temple is the bejeweled image of
Nataraja. Lord Shiva is depicted as the Lord of dance radiating universal power. It is one of the
temples where Shiva is represented as an anthropomorphic idol, rather than a Lingam. The
worship of Lord Shiva in the form of Lingam is associated with the five elements water, fire,
wind, earth and ether. Lord Shiva is worshiped in the form of Murthi (idol) in Chidambaram and
is considered as one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalas.The dance stage of the temple is called as
Chittrambalam and the holy tree is considered as the Thillai (Exocoeria agallocha) tree. The holy
water source of the temple is Sivagangai and the hymns of the temple is Thevaram, sung by Sri
Manickavachagar.  

Popularity:
 The Anandha Thandava posture of Lord Nataraja (Lord Shiva in the Cosmic Dance) is one of
the postures recognized all over the world. This celestial dance posture tells us how

42
Bharathanatiyam, an ancient form of Tamil Nadu dance, should be performed.  The demon under
Lord Nataraja’s feet signifies that ignorance is under his feet. The Fire in his hands signifies Him
as the destroyer of all evil. His raised hand signifies that He is the savior of life. The ring at His
back indicates the cosmos. The drum in His hand signifies the birth of life. It  is  believed  that
there  is  a  secret  message  conveyed  through  the embossed figure near the shrine of Shiva in
Chidambaram temple. It is believed that both Lord Shiva and his consort Parvathi are living here
and they are not viewable to the naked eye. The Chidambara Rahasyam (Secret of
Chidambaram) is hidden behind the curtains present at the right side of Lord Nataraja sanctum.
Worship or darshan is possible only when the priests open the curtain for pooja, acquiring
Godliness. Behind the curtain, there are two golden leaves as from the vilva maram (Aegle
Marmelos tree), signifying the presence of Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvathi whose
physical form is believed to be viewable by the priests. The real meaning of the phrase
Chidambara Rahasyam lies behind the curtain, which means that a person could know the secret
of himself only when he removes the curtain of “Maya”. It is said that one can never reveal the
secret until he removes the screen of Maya from one’s mind, To Realise Onself. The Chidambara
Rahasyam also tells us another truth that relates to the period of Moses. It is said that according
to the God’s commandments, Moses  constructed  a  Garba  Graha  but  did  not  place  any  idol
and covered it with a screen. This implies that God should need not only be worshiped with any
idol as there is only one religion on the earth. 

https://techera99.blogspot.com/2016/11/chidambaram-temple-secret-center-of.html

Shiva's Karanas in the temples of Tamil Nadu: the Natya Shastra in stone

by Liesbeth Pankaja Bennink, and Kandhan Raja Deekshithar, Jayakumar Raja Deekshithar,
Sankar Raja Deekshithar

The origin of dance: Bharata's Natya Shastra

Karana means 'action' and in the context of dance it indicates a coordinated action of the body,
the hands and the feet [1]. 108 such karana or units of dance are named and defined in the Natya
Shastra, the most ancient text on the performing arts composed by Bharata Muni. This text is
dated to a period of around 2000 years ago, within a margin of 500 years and has been the most
influential in defining and shaping Indian performing arts

Fig. 1At the request of Indra, Brahma extracted the essence of the four Vedas and created the

43
fifth, the Natya Veda, or drama Veda. It is accessible to all. Its purpose is not only to entertain,
but to mirror the world, and to offer counsel, courage and comfort. Bharata Muni is given the
responsibility to produce the first play. After the first successful performance it was presented
before Shiva, the Cosmic Dancer, on Mount Kailasha. Shiva is deeply moved and is reminded of
his Sandhya Tandava, his dance at twilight. “Brahma and Bharata supplicate Shiva for a
knowledge of dancing. Thereupon the Lord of the Worlds bids Tandu initiate His devotees into
the secrets of the difficult art.” Tandu proceeds to teach Bharata the 108 karanas. These are
combined into angaharas and into larger choreographies. After Tandu initiates Bharata the art of
dance is given to humanity through Bharata’s sons and the apsarasas, the heavenly dancers.

Therefore according to the Natya Shastra all Indian dance has its origin from Shiva's tandava.
Tandava is a vigorous, masculine and divine dance. Shiva is pre-eminently a god whose divinity
expresses through dance. The Sandhya Tandava is his divine dance performed at twilight on
Mount Kailasha, his sacred abode. Witnessed by his consort and accompanied by all devatas
playing various instruments. Other tandava's performed by Shiva are Tripura, after the
destruction of the Three Cities, and of course the Ananda Tandava, the Dance of Bliss performed
in Chidambaram

Karanas and temples

Fig. 2The art of dance in India has always been intertwined with sculpture, architecture, ritual
and doctrine. For this there is no better illustration than the karanas (figure 1). Not only do we
know these 108 dance movements from their description in the Natya Shastra, we also have
sculptural illustrations of them in ritually significant locations in temples in South India. Five
temples are well known for the depiction of the karanas in their sculptural program. They are the
Rajarajeshvara temple in Tanjore, the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram, the Sarangapani temple
in Kumbakonam, the Arunachaleshvara temple in Thiruvannamalai and the Vriddhagirishvara
temple in Vriddhachalam.

The oldest of these five examples is the Rajarajeshvara temple in Tanjore (figure 2). Built by
Rajaraja Chola around the year 1000 CE, this temple features an incomplete karana frieze found
in a circumambulatory passage around the grabhagriha. A four-armed Shiva is shown dancing
the first 81 karanas in a horizontally placed relief which is on one's right hand side as the passage
is followed in the clock-wise direction. The series has been left incomplete. The place where it is
found was never intended for public viewing.

44
Fig. 3In Chidambaram the passages through all four gopurams have been decorated with
complete representation of all 108 karanas (figure 3). We are sure of this because in the east and
west gopuram the panels are accompanied by the relevant verse from the Natya Shastra. Here a
female dancer accompanied by two musicians performs the movements. The east, south and west
gopuram have been dated to the 12th and 13th century, the north gopuram somewhat later .The
series are largely identical in all four gopuram's.

In the east gopuram of the Sarangapani temple in Kumbakonam a more or less complete series is
depicted as danced by a male dancer (figure 4). The panels are positioned in a horizontal band
around the outside of the gopuram. Here many of the panels are captioned with inscriptions
written in grantha script. Again this is the main reason it is sure the reliefs are intended as
representations of Bharata's karanas. In this temple Vishnu is the presiding deity and it has been
suggested these dance reliefs may have originally belonged to a Shiva temple and for some
reason moved here. Among the karanas we find a relief of Shiva dancing the Urdhva Tandava
and also goddess Kali dancing, possibly referring to the myth of the dance-contest between them

Fig. 4
 

Fig. 5///Fig. 6
Two more temples are known to have the karanas from the Natya Shastra represented. In
Vriddhachalam (figure 5) and in Thiruvannamalai (figure 6). In both temples the karanas are

45
found in the gopuram passages. In the Vriddhagirishvara temple depictions of the karanas are
found in all four gopurams, but are incomplete. Only 101 karanas are represented and in a
strikingly unusual ordering. The construction date of the gopuram is not exactly known. On the
basis of architecture, sculptural style and costume a date in the 14th century is likely, which
would place this gopuram after the construction of the Chidambaram gopuram and before the
gopuram of Thiruvannamalai.

In Thiruvannamalai all the karanas are systematically arranged in the east gopuram passage.
Besides the 108, possibly copied from Chidambaram, there are many more dance movements
depicted, besides panels depicting deities, rishis and other mythological figures. Depictions are
found on 20 pilasters with 9 panels arranged vertically, making 180 panels in all, of which 108
constitute the karanas as defined in the Natya Shastra. This Raja Gopuram of the
Arunachaleshvara temple in Thiruvannamalai was constructed in the 16th century.

Karanas and the history of dance

The karanas have always fascinated me, as a dancer and as a historian. They were the reason to
visit Chidambaram, and to connect to Raja Deekshithar. My guru Smt. Rajamani taught me
about them and raised my curiosity and also academic interest. 108 Dance movements described
in an ancient text and depicted in sculpture constitute a unique source in the history of dance.
They seemed to be lost for the most part with only fragments included in some choreographies.
My first idea was to try and reconstruct them.

Several attempts at reconstruction have been undertaken. Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam's was an
early one. Raja Deekshithar and I did not pursue this direction of research because we came to
the conclusion early on in our research that reconstruction was impractical. The text and the
image, a frozen moment in a sequence of movement, allow for many different alternative
interpretations. Every dancer will reconstruct them differently, based on training and insight.
This was also the ultimate conclusion of Dr. Alessandra Lopez y Royo [6].

Fig. 7///Fig. 8////Fig. 9

The subject never lost its fascination though. Many questions remain unanswered. Why, from all
the millions of movement combinations the human body is capable of, were these 108 were
considered to be the constituents of Shiva's tandava, the divine dance? What is the relationship
between the karanas and the units of movement called adavus, which constitute Bharata Natyam
today? How did the various regional dance styles develop from this Marga, or main tradition?
What is the meaning of their placement within the temple complex? Why were they included in
these five temples? And what is the meaning of their inclusion in these gopurams where in other

46
gopurams (figures 8 and 9) we find only miscellaneous dance figures or mythological scenes?

Thiruvadigai

Fig. 10When Raja Deekshithar and I visited the Veerateshvara temple in Thiruvadigai in 2005
we were on a field trip related to his research into the history of the sphinx in the Indian
traditions . The Deekshithar almost immediately discovered a relief of the sphinx-purushamriga
on one of the pillars in the vestibule of the gopuram. But he also realised the passageway of this
gopuram was decorated with 108 dance reliefs, reminiscent of the karanas depicted in his own
temple, the Shiva Nataraja temple of Chidambaram.

The gopuram is a pleasant but unimposing gateway with quality artwork in its inner passage
(figure 10). The architectural features and style indicate it was built in the Nayaka period in the
15th or 16th century. This is among other things indicated by the base, the design of the podikai
or corbel and the style of the reliefs. This would make it a contemporary of the Rajagopuram of
Thiruvannamalai. It has a granite base with a superstructure of six levels of tapering brick and
lime work topped with a barrel roof and seven shikaras.

Fig. 11The walls of the passage way which offers access to the temple courtyard is decorated
with 108 panels of dancing figures (figure 11). They are organised in four groups of three
pilasters very similar to the organisation of the karanas in Chidambaram, Thiruvannamalai and
Vriddhachalam. Each pilaster has 9 panels. Each group covers one of the four wall spaces in the
passage. Besides the dance panels there are several other interesting reliefs on these walls, and
there are two decorated pillars in the vestibules.

On the right side upon entering, one relief depicts Shiva as Tripurantaka, Destroyer of the Three
Cities, the presiding deity of the temple (figure 12). Another relief below the first depicts Shiva
as Gajantaka, Destroyer of the Elephant Demon (figure13). Whereas the Tripurantaka seems to
be a sculpture from the Nayaka period, the Gajantaka could be much older, based on the pose of
the body and the representation of the elephant [8]. Opposite these two reliefs we find a relief of
Murugan on his peacock (figure 14). Crossing the threshold and the vestibules towards the

47
 temple courtyard we find on the northern wall Shiva with Parvati on the sacred bull Nandi
(figure 15). On the Southern wall a king is standing with hands folded in worship (figure 16).

Fig. 12/ig. 13/Fig. 14/Fig. 15/ Fig. 16

 

1.
Fig. 17
On one of the pillars in the vestibules which define the centre of the gopuram we find among the
sculpture a Nayaka period sphinx or purushamriga (figure 17).

A dancing figure in a temple gateway is not automatically a depiction of a defined karana

(figures 8 and 9). Of course every dance movement can be called a karana, a coordinated action.
But the karanas of Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra are specifically defined and ordered. From the
known examples it can be concluded there is a connection between the 108 karanas and
gopurams. Even a connection between gopurams and dance in general [9]. Many gopurams
include depictions of dance in their sculptural program. Only four of those are known to be the
series of defined movements as described by Bharata Muni. The question to be answered here is
whether the 108 dance reliefs in Thiruvadigai represent the karanas as defined and ordered in the
Natya Shastra.

The number of the reliefs, the way they are organized, and a handful of recognizable poses led
Raja Deekshithar to the hypothesis the 108 dance reliefs in the east gopuram of Thiruvadigai
could be Bharata's 108 karanas.

The karanas which can be readily identified are [10]

Karana 50: Lalata Tilaka: Thiruvadigai 91 (figure 18)

Karana 53 Chakramandala: Thiruvadigai 90 (figure 19)

Karana 52 Kuncita: Thiruvadigai 20 or 93 (figure 20)

48
 Karana 57 Argala: Thiruvadigai 33 (figure 21)

Karana 107: Shakatashya: Thiruvadigai 27 or 29 (figure 22)

Karana 108: Gangavatarana: Thiruvadigai 27 or 29 (figure 23)


Fig. 18
 


Fig. 19
 

Fig. 20
 

49
 Fig. 21
 

Fig. 22
 

Fig. 23
Some more karanas can be identified tentatively:
Talapushpaputa (1) or Talasamsphotita (69): Thiruvadigai 66 (figure 24)
Alata(18) or Urdhva Janu (25) Nagasarpita (106) (figure 25a) could be : Thiruvadigai 104, 106,
92 (figure 25b)

Bhujangatrasita (24), Bhujangancita (40) en Talasanghattita (93) (figure 26a) could be either one
of Thiruvadigai 35, 62, 99 (figure 26b).
Sannata (75) and Nitamba (85) could be Thiruvadigai 59 (figure 27)
Katibhranta (43) or Urudvritta (98) could be Thiruvadigai 18 or 88 (figure 28)

50
 Fig. 24
 

Fig. 25a
 

Fig. 25b
 

Fig. 26a
 

51
 Fig. 26b
 

Fig. 27
 

Fig. 28
Shiva's.Karanas?

Recognising many of the poses also found in the other karana series, together with the number
108, and the location in the sculptural program gave us the anticipation this would be another
karana series. It would be a wonderful discovery because it would give us one more window into
the history of dance in the subcontinent. Further analysis raises question though.

From the sculptural style and the dress worn by the dancers these reliefs seem to be from the
later period and, like the rest of the gopuram, probably belong to the earlier phase of the Nayaka
period (1300-1600). It could be argued on the basis of the dance costumes these reliefs are
somewhat later then the panels in the East gopuram at Thiruvannamalai. The dancers wear
pyjamas covered with a pleated, skirt-like or apron-like, garment, but don't seem to wear blouses,
as came into usage later. In earlier panels we see dancers wear draped lower garments worn in a
fashion similar to a dhoti worn as 'katchai', draped between the legs in a fashion creating a kind
of trousers. The costumes worn by the dancers in Thiruvannamalai closely resemble those worn

52
in Chidambaram and Kumbakonam. Pleated fan-shaped skirts are still part of today's dance
costume.

Fig. 29/ Fig. 30/ Fig. 31/ fig. 32/ Fig. 33

The dancers occupying the lowest row of panels have been depicted with more ornamental
costumes, including some large head-dresses and ornaments (figure 29). Some of these also hold
some kind of implements or possibly weapons like knives or swords (figure 30). This is
reminiscent of costumes worn in traditional dance-dramas and ritual dances even today [11]. In
only 10 of the panels does a musician accompany the dancer. In contrast, in Chidambaram two
musicians accompany the dancer in all the panels and in Thiruvannamalai at least one musician
is seen in most of the panels. A few panels do not seem to depict a dancer at all. Two panels
depict male drum players (figure 31), another male figure plays a kind of tambourine-like drum
or kanjira [12] (figure 32). One female figure holds a string instrument (figure 33). Five female
figures stand holding camaras or ritual fly whisks (figure 34). One unusual panel centrally placed
panel depicts two male figures dancing while holding one another around the shoulders while at
the same time holding a fly-whisk and other attributes (figure 35). Two figures are seated on a
kind of stool.

Fig. 34/ Fig. 35

 
 

53
 Fig. 36/Fig. 37/ Fig. 38
Some of the characteristics of the karana series as known from the other five temples are
missing: movements where the dancer shows the back (karana 16, prsta svastika, figure 36) ;
where the dancer is jumping (karana 99, madaskhalita, figure 37); where the dancer is depicted
sitting on the floor (karana 55, aksipta, figure 38). There are few movements depicted showing
svastika or crossing positions of the feet.

Shiva's Tandava and Tripurantaka

It would have been agreeable if we could state with definite confidence these 108 reliefs of
dancers in the gopuram of Thiruvadigai represent the 108 karanas as enumerated in Bharata
Muni's Natya Shastra. There are several reasons to support the hypothesis they were indeed
intended as a defined series. The number 108, the identified karanas, the location. But these are
not conclusive against the counter arguments given above. Therefore we cannot offer a final
conclusion.

On the other hand there is one argument to support the idea these are indeed Bharata's karanas.
This argument lies with the deity to whom this temple is dedicated, Shiva as Tripurantaka, the
Destroyer of the Three Cities. The myth of Shiva's destruction of the Three Cities is an early one.
The earliest reference is found in the Yajur Veda [13]. In Tamil texts known as Sangam literature
Shiva is described as dancing after he destroyed the Three Cities. This dance is referred to as
Kotukotti and also as Pantarankam. His dance is witnessed by his consort Uma who beats the
rhythm

Fig. 39The connection between Shiva dancing and Tripurantaka Murti has not received much
attention. Bindu S. Shankar points to the importance of the Tripurantaka Siva in the iconography
of the Rajarajeshvara temple in Tanjore. In her dissertation she makes a connection between the
first appearance of the karanas in the sculptural program with the significance of Tripurantaka in

54
the doctrine of this temple.

This connection is also significant with respect to the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram. In an
oral tradition of this temple it is told that after the destruction of the Three Cities Shiva landed
his chariot opposite the main sanctum. After getting down from the chariot he ascended into the
Sabha and commenced his dance. In the place where the chariot landed is now the Edirambalam,
the Opposite Hall, in the form of a stone chariot. Today this hall is known as the Nritta Sabha. It
is situated exactly opposite the Sabha where Shiva is dancing the Ananda Tandava. From this
Nataraja's dance in Chidambaram is also known as Shanti Kuttu, or Dance of Peace .

Conclusions

Fig. 40The Veerateshvara temple dedicated to Shiva as Tripurantaka in Thiruvadigai was build
by the Pallava king Mahendravarman in the 6th century. It is a large pyramidal structure similar
to the Kailasanatha temple in Kanchipuram . The pyramid shape replicates the form of Kailasha,
the cosmic mountain . Also the Rajarajeshvara temple in Tanjore with its pyramidal vimana is a
representation of Kailasha, the Cosmic Mountain as Shiva's abode [19]. The presence of the
karanas in the circumambulatory passage around the vimana underlines this identification and is
a clear statement of the importance of this relationship to the king Rajaraja and his architect. The
presence of 32 murtis of Shiva as Tripurantaka in the niches of the second elevation of the
vimana is another statement pointing to the relationship between Kailasha and Shiva's Tandava
dance in the conquest of evil.

Fig. 41A relationship of Tripurantaka, Kailasha, Shiva as divine dancer and the presence of the
karanas is tentatively appearing. This relationship is pointed out by Bindu Shankar in her
dissertation . The discovery of 108 dance reliefs in a gopuram of a temple dedicated to Shiva
Tripurantaka corroborates this relationship. And at the same time this connection between
Dancing Shiva, Tripurantaka, Kailasha and karanas makes it very likely the 108 dance panels in
the gopuram in Thiruvadigai represent the 108 karanas as conveyed to humanity by Bharata
Muni.

There can be no doubt these 108 dance panels could represent the karanas as described and

55
defined by Bharata Muni in the Natya Shastra as practiced at the time of the Nayaka dynasty.
They thus represent a valuable document of a living and evolving dance tradition which the
sculptor shaped on the basis of dancers performing for him. It allows us a glimpse into the art of
dance in the 15th and 16th century. And offers insight into its evolution through this unique
sculptural resource.

Liesbeth Pankaja Bennink, and Kandhan Raja Deekshithar, Jayakumar Raja Deekshithar, Sankar
Raja Deekshithar

56
 Pic[1] Natarāja. By permission from Shri Raj Mutharasan, Scientist at National science
foundation (NSF) and Drexel University

Astronomical Association Of Natarāja’s Dance With

Apasmara And Agastya
The study will try to understand Apasmāra in the iconography of Natarāja and also if it has
any significant link with loss of memory of some astronomical event which was confined to
certain latitude. It will mainly touch different parts of graphical representations of Natarāja.
A research paper by Rupa Bhaty,Indology | 12-09-2018

This paper deals with understanding human’s first interaction with time and its relationship with
Cosmic Consciousness or Awareness. Significance of stellar readings by early humans, who got
connect between the movements of Earth vs Celestial beings, is being studied and elaborated.

57
Indic scripture assigns Lord Śiva as kaal, i.e time, and Agastya-as a muni, who is closely
associated with Lord Śiva and is celebrated as one of the lead proponent of Shaivism. The paper
here will try to understand relationship between “Natarāja – Śiva’s one form and Agastya-muni-
the propagator of Shaivism” vs “Iconography of Natarāja in sky as Orion constellation and its
connection, if any, with Agastya as Canopus navigational star”. The study will try to understand
Apasmāra in the iconography of Natarāja and also if it has any significant link with loss of
memory of some astronomical event which was confined to certain latitude. It will mainly touch
different parts of graphical representations of Natarāja. A computational astronomical study has
been undertaken to understand different part of iconography of Natarāja with Celestial star
movements. Approach and emphasize has been on the visibility and availability of Canopus in
southern India in various epochs to understand the significance of the latitude of Chidambaram
where Natarāja dances to the cosmic bliss.
Introduction
Music and Dance are a tradition and an alleyway to divinity. Not only it is a Hindu tradition but
it is a worldwide phenomenon from prehistoric times which could easily be sensed through cave
arts and observing remotest untouched tribes. The Hindu conception of two main God’s
attributed to Dancing via God Śiva as Natarāja within the Cosmos and Krishna in his
Rāsamanadal stresses the idea of a divine urge of spiritual eurhythmics which finds its way from
the display of dance in India. Every Hindu philosophy arrives from metaphysics and many a
times directly from sciences such as astrophysics and astronomy. Astral evidences are braided in
Indic scriptures in the form of puzzling philosophies of which many are yet to be explored and
revealed. The Hindu god Śiva is not only the Lord of Dance but also the deity of creation,
destruction, rebirth, dissolution, and salvation. Since He is creating and destroying He is a
metaphor for time. He is thus pulsating, and thus dancing the tune of time in macro to
microcosmic form.
While everyone is familiar with Natarāja –the dancing Shiva, this paper explains the specific
astronomy aspects of Natarāja metaphor.
#. What does Natarāja has to do with Orion, i.e. Mṛgaśīrṣa + Ardra Nakshatra,
#. Identification of Apasmāra as an impression of Agastya-Canopus. Apasmāra is a symbol of
loss of memory in regard to an astronomical event, i.e. rise of Agastya
#. Visibility of Agastya was never an issue in the Southern Indian Peninsula
In a nutshell;
1. Before going into astronomical details let us first understand the iconographies-characters
involved in the study undertaken.
1.1 Natarāja,
1.2 Apasmāra, and
1.3 Agastya as a Muni and Agastya as a Canopus Star
Apasmāra means forgetfulness and epilepsy. It represents Agastya when Agastya is not visible
from parts of India.
2.1 Natarāja in sky represents Orion (Indian Mṛgmandala= Ardra + Mṛgaśīrṣa)
2.2 Apasmāra represents western constellation Lepus-hare which is loss of memory of some
astronomical event which was confined to certain latitude.
3. Cosmic Natarāja has to do with identification of Agastya’s location. All of these have deep
connection to ancient Indian tradition of navigation. However, elaboration of that subject is
beyond the purview of this paper.

58
1.1 Natarāja
Let us see some of the important and most likely known characteristics of Natarāja
posture.
(1) He dances within a circular or cyclically closed arch of flames (Prabhāsmandal or
Prabhāvalli), which symbolically represent the cosmic fire that in Hindu cosmology creates
everything and consumes everything.
(2) His legs are bent, which suggests an energetic dance with a posture of balance or equilibrium
corresponding to time.
(3) His long, matted tresses are shown to be loose and flying out in thin strands during the dance,
also touches the Prabhāsmandal, sometimes it is shown as flowing down on his back especially
in Chidambaram. Shilpashāstra bring in oral tradition to do as per Śruti.
(4) On the matted hair of right side is adorned with Gangā on the thin strand spread into a fan
behind his head personified as a goddess.
(5) And the other side on the matted lock is the Soma-Chandra.
(6) The upper right-hand holds a small drum shaped like an hourglass that is called a ḍamaru in
Sanskrit. A specific hand gesture (mudrā) called ḍamaru-hasta (Sanskrit for “surprising-hand”) is
used to hold the drum. It symbolizes rhythm and time.

(7) The upper left hand contains Agni or fire, which signifies fos of creation and destruction.
Agni is one of the five elements of equilibrium in a body.
(8) A cobra uncoils from his lower right forearm, while his palm shows the Abhaya mudrā.
Abhaya means not to fear, since destruction is the seed of new creation.
(9) The second left-hand points towards the raised foot which suggests the viewer to be active
and dance to the circumstances, or alternatively as a sign of upliftment and liberation; liberation
from dissolution.
(10) The face shows two eyes plus a slightly open third on the forehead, which symbolize the
triune in Shaivism.
(11) The dwarf, on the lotus pedestal on which Natarāja dances, is the demon
Apasmāra( Muyalaka, as it is known in Thamizh) Purusha who is the conjunction point of two
Makara adjacent on both sides and which symbolizes action and dance that leads to victory over
demonic evil or ignorance.
(12) The two Makara at the base creates an overall oval shape around the mūrti. Sometimes it is
seen on the summit of the Prabhāsmandal. Makara is a Sanskrit word which means ‘sea dragon’
or ‘water-monster’, a porpoise or a Gangetic dolphin which is similar to Shishumāra [2] of Indic
scriptures. In a Hindu temple, the Makara often serves as the structural bookends of a thoranam
or archway around a deity. The arch emerges up from the jaws of one Makara, rises to its peak,
the Kīrtimukha (the ‘Face of Glory’), and descends into the gaping jaws of another Makara, but
they both never meet. Example of Makara anklet is given in a picture below where two Makara
(or any other animal head figure) never meets, but still complete a circle at one point.

59
A pair of gold anklets North India with two Makara endings gaping into each other, antique, late
18th cent (courtesy Pinterest; internet)

(13) Natarāja is also known as Koottan in Tamil which has phonetic resemblance with
navigational Kootu for Orion as spoken in Kerala. Mṛgaśīrṣa + Ardra Nakshatra makes Orion
constellation which is also known as Kālapurusha in Bengal; a reference point for all
navigational compass and calendars. In antiquity Kerala, Tamilnadu and parts of southern India
were under the domain of Pandya kings.
1.2 Apasmāra; A dwarf demon, and a sleep state.
Apasmāra; the dwarf demon, trodden underfoot lies facing to its proper right in all statues.
Apasmāra is facing right, but exceptionally noticed to the left also with a strange shift of leg
position of Natarāja. It is depicted as having an anchuli  mudra or holding a snake. He is defined
as ignorance (known as Muyalaka in Thamizh), and is danced upon which symbolizes Natarāja’s
action. The dance leads to victory over demonic evil and ignorance. See pic [3] below.

1.3 Agastya- Canopus.

As a Star; Agastya-Canopus moves fast above Dhruvamandala[4]. There are many scriptural
references to Agastya-Canopus being a star starting from Veda, Brāhmanas, Aranyaka[5],
Puranas[6], Śruti[7], smṛti, Epics[8], Poetries[9] and Surya-Siddhānta. 359

As a Muni; See pic[10] above; Agastya (Kumbhayoni)-born from a pitcher into which Mitra and
Varuṇa dropped their vīrya at the sight of the charms of Urvaśī: a brother of Vasiṣṭha.[11] He
had a residence at Malay-Mahāmalaya-(Pothigai)[12]; married the first born daughter of King
Malayadhvaja Pāṇḍya, and had a son Dṛḍhācyuta[13], also present at Rāma’s abhiṣeka. [14]
Dwarfed the Vindhyas roughly parallel to the Narmada River, made a home in Laṅkā: seeing the
universe troubled by Tāraka and other Asuras caused the ocean to dry up by drinking the waters
60
and brought relief to the Devas: performed tapas seated on Mount Malaya with his wife
Lopāmudrā: white in colour, with four hands, Akṣa mālā & Kamaṇḍalu, narrated Ajāmila[15] a
contemporary of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma; and a resident of Mt. Malaya. Visited by Balarāma. Came to
Syamantapañcaka to see Kṛṣṇa, Called on Parīkṣit practising prāyopaveśa etc. Kamban has
praised high of Agastya muni as a giver of Tamil grammar. Agastya muni is associated with lord
Śiva. Agastya muni was also a dwarf.

Apasmāra means forgetfulness and epilepsy. It represents Agastya when Agastya is not visible
from parts of India. Astronomical evidences, are philosophically braided in Indian scriptures,
alludes to ignorance and forgetfulness about the star Agastya. It represents a lost memory of an
astronomical event, moreover, which has been a neglected part in understanding of Natarāja’s
iconography.

Evidence of Natarāja mentioned as a “nartaka” in MBH

Rarest of the thought would ever come to our minds that Natarāja may relate to astronomical
phenomena which may be a hypogeal impression for the evolution of “Supreme Cosmic
Consciousness” philosophy. The excerpt on Śiva being a Dancer-“nartaka” comes from
Śivasahastranāmastrotam from MBH[16] where Śiva is mentioned as a continuous Dancer and
who is ardent lover of dance and is continuously dancing. The thirteenth-century Shaiva
Siddhāntic text[17] describes Natarāja as sacchidānanda or “Being Consciousness and
Bliss”[18]; constantly in dancing state. From nartaka to Natarāja, it has been in the memories of
Indian coastal people which come to us through Sangam literature. A verse by Manikavachakar
goes, ‘He who creates, protects, and destroys the verdant world…’ Tamil literature gives extract
as Pray to Śiva, who owns the South. Pray to Him who is the God of all countries.’[19]

The likely worship of Natarāja by the Pallava period at Chidambaram with an idea of cosmic
creation is suggested in Manikavāchakar’s Tiruvachakam which says , ‘Let us praise the dancer
(Kuttan) who in good Tillai’s hall dances with fire, who sports (vilaiyatu) creating, destroying,
this heaven and earth and all else.’ In essence, it represents the continuous cycle of creation and
destruction of time astronomically. Ardra Darshan celebrates this ecstatic dance of Lord Śiva. On
this day Lord Śiva becomes Natarāja with reddish fame aura around.

How Śiva as a Natarāja is a creator, protector and destroyer of time through his dance?
Shloka 59[20] says on Śiva being “nakshatra vigraha”/ analyser and “knower of gati”-speed of
nakshatras, “layaḥ”-He is the place of deluge thus a destroyer, prajāpati- nakshatraadhipati / sire
of all asterisms in sky, which indicates Śiva is the timekeeper of all nakshatras, Vishvabāhuḥ-
emanating his arms on all sides (as if to reach out other nakshatras), vibhaagaḥ- He is the
seperation, sarvagaḥ-He is the universal soul, amukhaḥ-He who is having no mouth. In
astronomical sense He is the point of ending and begining without any celestial logitudinal
difference.

There are two unique star clusters which are used as timekeepers and are common in all parts of
the world from all the ages. They are 1. Orion 2. Big Dipper. The Orion constellation has served
as a timekeeper for eons in every known civilization due to its prominent three waist belt star-
Alnilam, Almitak etc and has not changed for thousands of years. In Indic culture the three belt
stars are known as Mṛgaśīrṣa Nakshatra. He is also called kālayogī-the one who knows the

61
time/era/eon through yoking. He is the one who generates new loka-world, and He is the only
one in which the old world gets dissolved[21]. This evidently speaks of the same point of
celestial longitude from where new era starts dissolving the old one. Śiva as a creator is also
known from Vishnupurāna which states Raudra-sṛishti[22] nirmāna; at the begining
of kalpa Brahma thought of creating a son like ownself and while thinking alone a son of bluish
reddish color appeared in his lap.

2.1 Natarāja in the sky representing western star cluster Orionis (Indian Mṛgamandal+
Ardra+Mṛgaśīrṣa)
Natarāja’s association with Archaeo-astronomy Let us look at Archaeo-astronomy pieces of
evidence related to Dance of Natarāja. But before that let’s understand what Archaeo-astronomy
is? It is a scientific discipline that combines mnemonics to know more about the timeline of
history, culture, science and technology of observational astronomy with ancient evidence of
astronomy references, metaphors and ancient civilizations.
2.1.1 Ardra/Arudra Dārisanam; A living culture and an astronomical evidence from past.
The first eye-catching evidence is Arudra /Ardra darisanam festival  of Tamilnadu which is a ten
day annual festival in December related to the moon being full in the lunar asterism(nakshatra)

62
Ardra (i.e, alpha Orionis), associated with wrathful aspect of Śiva. On this day Śiva becomes
Natarāja or Koothan. In Kerala, the festival is celebrated as the birthday of Lord
Śiva. Thiruvathira is the Ardra nakshatra or “star” as per the Malayalam calendar of Lord Śiva.
Indeed some astronomical event must have had happened in Ardra nakshatra sometime in past
due to which the festival of Arudra Darisanam continues till date. One such is a speculated event
of supernovae explosion which has been assumed by many writers. My conjecture would show
that it has been related to a new-year beginning on vernal equinox day. We come across another
verse in regard of yearly phenomena,-“tasmai te rudra saṃvatsareṇa namaskaromi“[23] This
verse serves as a piece of evidence for year beginning with Rudra (deity of Ardra Nakshatra) on
the ecliptic node and this was happening around 6000 BCE-5000BCE. Another piece of evidence
comes from Shatapatha Brahmana where it has been mentioned ‘with doubt’ whether or not, to
kindle a fire under Mṛgaśirśa. This conjecture gives evidence of shifting of vernal point from
constellation Mṛgaśirśa and reaffirms that once year beginning was happeing near Constellation
Orion. This is also the millennium of Mahabharata war, as established, based on study of 200
Plus astronomy observations of MBH text by Shri Nilesh Oak. It thus makes sense as to
why śivasahastranāmstrotram is so revered in MBH texts.

The other
memory of wrathfulness of Śiva is of deluge in Pumpoohar near Chidambaram. Enormous
evidence exists from around the world for the significant and sudden sea level rise during 6th
millennium BCE. Further a question may arise, why Ardra considered on the point of vernal
equinox and why not on any other cardinal point? For this again the same shloka from MBH
comes to our rescue. Svarbhanu[24], i.e. the ecliptic node as mentioned in MBH. This evidence
again affirms samvatsar[25] phenomena and vernal equinox happening in Ardra, from the very
same verse which also says Śiva is samvatsakaraH- the maker of the year.

63
In Malayalam Koothu is the name of Orion constellation used for N-W navigation while in
Tamil Kuttan-koothan becomes a name of Natarāja, connection giving pratyaksha-evidence of
Natarāja Orion. Once, the whole of South India was under Pandya kings. The evidence of
Pandya kings fighting in Bharata War is found in the MBH texts. śivasahastranāmstrotram from
MBH is abundant in pieces of astronomical evidence which has been not been explored.
2.1.2 Prabhāsmandal of Natarāja; Orb of Flame and its connection to Mṛga-Mandala
encompassing different stars and star clusters in the vicinity
A comparative study of radiating rays around a human figure in Harappa seal (IVC) Rudra and
flame on Chola Bronze Natarāja. Harappa seal (IVC) Standing man who has been identified as
Rudra[26] and the adjacent picture of Natarāja, both with orb of flame, affirms pan Indic nature
of Śiva. Harappa IVC Rudra is being depicted with radiating arrows/rays upon Prabhāsmandal
around the Rudra iconography which is similar to flame marks on the orb of Natarāja statues
from southern part of India. This brings evidence on geographical northern, north-western and
southern regional connection from primitive times. It is evident that Sindhu-Sarasvati civilization
also had an impact of Śiva as Linga which is known to us as one of the significant archaeological
find from Harappa and Kalibanga.

“Prabhāsmandala ”, circle of
flames means a circle emanating rays, bhas- “bhāsyati means to make visible”. It is the inkling
towards astronomy too which points towards “mṛg-mandala”. While mṛg gamanārthaka from
mrij dhātu-verbroot means “to chase”. Therefore, mṛg-mandala stars/constellations, the easiest
star cluster percieved via human eyes from prehistoric times, were used to help chase different
stars nearby in vicinity like Procyon, Sirius-mṛgavyādha in south and Aurigae in north, Castor
Pollux, Plaiedas, Vela, Canopus in their respective directions.

64
Nataraja-Koothan overlay on navigational Orion Koothu, chases all the stars around
The MBH says “Amongst the Rudras[27] He is the Sire Rudra and amongst the most effulgent
Gods He is the prabhā-best illumination”, this connect with prabhā-mandala-orb of flame. It also
says “He is the one who achieves or “aims at( different) nakshatras/ asterisms”[28]. Thus, it
make sense to equate Prabhāsmandal with astronomical Mṛga-mandala. In the iconography of
Natarāja Prabhāsmandal, orb or the circle of flame does help chase other stars in vicinity.
The three parallel horizontal lines drawn using ash/bhasma/vibhuti on the forehead
of Śiva devotees with the help of Mṛga-śīrṣa mudra  is known as the Tripundra. The thumb and
little finger are raised. It springs from Gauri, who used the Mṛgaśīrṣa hand mudra to draw three
lines on her forehead when practicing tapas for the sake of Śiva. A mnemonic way to
remember Mṛgaśīrṣa three stars from Orion belt. Points above elaborated, discussed and tested
concludes Natarāja in the sky as an Astronomical Case.
2.1.3. Why is Harappan IVC seal -Rudra Orion?

The three emanating lines

from the crown of IVC seal , Next pic depics ‘Tripundra mark sparingly used by shavites on their
forehead and adjacent right pic depicts Mṛgaśīrṣa mudra’
2.2 Apasmāra gets overlay upon western constellation Lepus-hare

65
 From the above
Pic it is found that Apasmāra gets superimposed upon a separate constellation called ‘Lepus’,
which is shown trampelled by Śiva-Natarāja, and which rises before Agastya- Canopus during
the rising and setting of Orion in the sky. Lepus is also braided in with Hunter constellation from
greek iconography similar to Apasmāra braided with Natarāja iconography. This is interesting
to note that Lepus constellation of western astronomy alludes Hare iconography which has a
connection with moon[29] and Amarkosha says Indu-Saśi-Soma-are names of Mṛgaśīrṣa
nakshatra and this has noteworthy resemblance with the meaning of Apasmāra from Ayurveda
texts [moon-Luna-lunatic (unpredictable), epilepsy i.e. forgetfulness or ignorance, recollection or
consciousness]. It indicates ignorance about the rise of Canopus which is still present in the sky
but unseen at some horizon at some point of time.

66
 Apasmara with anchuli/drinking mudra is an impression of Agastya indicating loss of memory of
it’s rise from certain latitude at certain epoch in astronomical sense. Agastya drinking ocean is
an indication to unnravel stars at horizon in relative sense.
3. Cosmic Natarāja has to do with identification of Agastya’s location. All of these have deep
connection to ancient Indian tradition of navigation and mobilization. In nutshell, after
evaluating the empirical evidence and by testing them, it was found that the latitude of
Chidambaram30 was the threshold from where Agastya became invisible while navigating due
north away from this latitude when Canopus was at its highest declination, very near to the south
celestial pole being a pole star[31]. This astronomical event happened during 11000BCE-
13000BCE. Below Chidambaram latitudes Canopus was always visible. This is tested via
computational simulation. However, elaboration of that subject is beyond the purview of this
paper.
Conclusion
The paper has comprehensively dealt with each element of Natarāja’s Iconography. It has
elaborated and discussed over the inferences drawn, empirically tested and evidences are
concluded in regard of understanding of each element of Natarāja’s Iconography. The enigma of
Apasmāra is determined via objectively testing of the theory in terms of explanation, prediction
and testing with the context of background knowledge. The representation of Apasmāra as an
impression of Agastya is proven with loss of memory of an astronomical event which was
confined to certain latitude.
Bibliography
1. Coomaraswamy, Ananda K., The Dance of Śiva, 1912
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi_Amman_Temple (retrieved 14-05-2012)

67
3. On visibility of Agastya-Canopus in India. By K Chandra Hari
4. Folklore and Astronomy; Agastya- a sage and a star by K D Abhyankar
5. Professor Southworth, an Emeritus Professor of South Asian Linguists, University
ofPennsylvania in his article published in Rice (2011) 4:142-148 notes the deep connectivity of
theDravidian languages.*
6. When did Mahabharata war happen; Mystery of Arundhati. By Nilesh Oak
References
[1] Pic source; Permission has been granted to publish these photographs from Shri Raj
Mutharasan, Scientist at National science foundation (NSF) and Drexel University
[2] Found in Brahmānd Purāna and Vishnu Purāna as one of the northern
constellations. archives.org, Gita press)
[3] Published by permission from Shri Raj Mutharasan, Scientist at the US National science
foundation (NSF) and Drexel University, USA.
[4] Br. II. 21..
[5] Taittirīya- ĀraNyaka 1.11.2), viśvāmitro jamadagnirbhāradvājo’tha gautamaH|atrirvasishthaḥ
kaśyapa ityete saptarishayaḥ ||
[6] Bhā. VI. 18. 5, 28. 32; Br. IV. 5. 38 M. 61. 21-31; 201. 29; 202. 1., Vāyu pu. 48. 23,
[7] saptānām rishīnām agastyāshTamānām yadapatyam tadgotramityācakShate || (Āśvalāyana
Śrauta Sūtra; PariśiSTa)
[8] MBH
[9] Raghuvansham XVI.44, in regard of ‘Agastya- chinhād’
[10] Pic source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agastya
[11] Bhā. VI. 18. 5; Br. IV. 5. 38 M. 61. 21-31; 201. 29; 202. 1.
[12] Vāyu pu. 48. 23
[13] Bhā. IV. 28. 32
[14] 2(a) Vishnu. IV 4. 99.
[15] Bhā., VI. 3. 35; M. 61. 17; 36-41; Br. III. 56. 53.
[16] BahubhutaH bahudharaH swarbhaanuH mitogatiH
[17] Text- Kunchitangrim Bhaje by Umapati of Chidambaram
[18] (Smith 1998: 21).
[19] ‘Thennadudaiya S’ivanae PoRRi, Ennattavarkkum IRaiva PoRRi’
[20] न”#$व&हम)तगु -णबु 01 धल-योऽगम:।8 जाप)त$व-<वबाहु$व-भाग: सव-गोऽमु ख:॥५९॥ MBH
śivasahastranāmstrotram Anushāsana parva 6th Khanda, 17th adhyāya
[21] यतो लोकाः स E भविG त न भविG त यतः पु नः॥२९॥ MBH
śivasahastranāmstrotram Anushāsana parva 6th Khanda, 17th adhyāya*
[22] from Vishnupurāna 8th adhyāya क I पादावाK मन L तु I यं सु तं 8N यायत L तत:।
8ादुरासीठाभोर R के
कुमारो नीललोT हत:॥२॥
[23]-“त L मै ते VW सं व K सरे ण नम L करोX म”, तै $Y र Z यकृ\ण यजु व]द सं T हता – taittirīyakṛṣṇa
Yajurveda saṃhitā5।5।7।3-4
[24] Swarbhānu; name of Rahu, also a name of Shiva,. Rahu is an astronomical mate of
ArdraNakshatra
[25] सं व K सरकरः॥३९॥ śivasahastranāmstrotram Anushāsana parva 6th Khanda, 17th adhyāya
[26] By Indologist Dr. Rekha Rao
[27] _Wाणम$प यो VW: 8 भा 8 भवताम$प॥२८॥ śivasahastranāmstrotram, MBH
[28] न”#साधकः॥३७॥ śivasahastranāmstrotram, MBH

68
[29] Ridpath, Ian; Tirion, Wil (2001), Stars and Planets Guide, Princeton University Press, ISBN
0-691-08913-2
[30] Chitt +ambaram; ambaram in Sanskrit means sky, horizon, compass.
[31] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_star
The paper “Cosmic Consciousness And Astronomical Association Of Natarāja’s Dance With
Apasmara And Agastya” was originally presented at Waves 2018 and has been republished
with permission.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author.
IndiaFacts does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, completeness,
suitability, or validity of any information in this article.

Rupa Bhaty
102

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