Chidambaram is a small town located in the state of Tamilnadu about 250 km from Chennai. It is the most important pilgrim spot for the devotees of Lord Shiva. Chidambaram also called as Thillai because initially this place had forests of Thillai Shrubs. Chidambaram is derived from words 'Chit' and 'Ambaram' which literally means the sky infused with an atmosphere of intelligence and wisdom.
Chidambaram is known for its Nataraja Temple. Lord Shiva appears in the form of the cosmic dancer Nataraja in this temple. This is one those very rare temples where Lord Shiva is worshipped as an idol rather than a Lingam. It is one of the five Shaivite mukti sthalams. The presiding deity of the temple is represented by air known as "Akasa Lingam".
This magnificent temple is spread over an area of 40 acres. It is one of the oldest temples of Tamilnadu. The temple was constructed by the Chola Kings and this ancient temple is solely dedicated to the art of Bharatanatyam. The sanctum sanctorum roof of the temple roof is covered with gold plates. This temple has five halls namely Kanaka Sabha, Chit Sabha, Nritta Sabha, Deva Sabha and Raja Sabha. Nritta Sabha which is built in the form of a chariot has 56 pillars depicting the 108 poses of Bharat Natyam. The main icon of Nataraja is in the Kanaka Sabha. Eastern tower of the temple rises to a height of 40.8 metres and the Northern tower to a height of 42.4 metres. In the western and the eastern tower 108 Bharatha Natyam dance poses of Lord Natraja are engraved. Chidambaram temple also has shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Lord Subramaniya and Lord Vinayaka. It is one of the few temples where Siva and Vishnu are worshipped under the same roof.
Top Tourist Places Near Chidambaram Temple
Thillaikaliamman Temple
Thillaikaliamman Temple built by Kopperunjingan during the period of 1229 and 1278AD is situated on the north side of Chidambaram. The temple is dedicated to goddess Kali. This temple is known for its architectural splendour. It is a custom for the pilgrims to visit this temple after visiting the Nataraja temple.
Pichavaram
It is situated at a distance of about 16 kms east of Chidambaram. This scenic place is famous for its backwaters which are interconnected by the Vellar and Coleroon system and mangrove forests which sprawl over 11,000 hectare. People come here to indulge in water sports like para-sailing, boating, rowing and canoeing.
Sirkazhi
It is about 20 km from Chidambaram. It is the birthplace of one of the top 4 Saivaite saints named Thirugnana Sambandar. Sirkali Temple is located at Sirkazhi and the deity worshipped here is Lord Shiva. In this temple three different forms of Shiva are worshipped - Brahmapureeswarar, Sattanathar and Thoniappar.
Neyveli
Neyveli one of the biggest industrial areas and is about 45 km from Chidambaram. The place is famous for its lignite mines .
Poompuhar
It is situated at a distance of about 40 km from Chidambaram. This place was once the port during the Chola dynasty. Today it is famous for its beach and art gallery.
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
It is situated about 50 kms away from Chidambaram. This temple was built by the Chola emperor Rajendra I. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple has a grand gopuram and a big Nandi in front of the temple. The temple is famous for its carved sculptures.
Vaitheeswaran Koil
The temple is situated down south of Chidambaram. The main deity here is Lord Shiva who is worshipped as Vaitheeswara which means Lord of healing. The tank inside the temple is called Siddha Amritha Theertha and is said to have power to cure diseases.
Kalvarayan Hills
The Kalvarayan hills are situated 150 kms north west of Chidambaram. These hills are situated at an altitude from 315 mts. to 1190 mts. The main attraction here is a botanical garden and two waterfalls. This is also a favoured spot for trekking.
Annamalai University
Founded by Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar, Annamalai University is one of the foremost and major educational centres in the country. This is a residential university and is a centre for learning various disciplines like Medicine, Agriculture, Engineering, Carnatic music etc.
There are few other places in the vicinity of Chidambaram worth visiting like the Thiruvanjiam temple, Thiruchenkattankudi temple, Engan temple, Vriddhachalam, Perambur, Mayiladuthurai etc.
How to reach Chidambaram
The nearest airport to Chidambaram is Tiruchirappalli which is at a distance of about 195 km. The other nearest airport is Chennai which is at a distance of 245 km. Chidambaram lies on the Chennai-Tiruchirapalli meter-gauge line of the Southern Railway. It is connected with Tiruchirapalli, Madras, Madurai, Rameswaram, Bangalore and Tirupati. Chidambaram is connected to all the major towns and cities of Tamil Nadu by a very good network of roads. Frequent bus services are available from here to all the major towns and cities in the state as well as neighboring states like Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Accommodation
Chidambaram has some good accommodation options ranging from upper segment and mid-range to budget hotels to cater to the different budgets of the tourists.