Thousands witness Chidambaram Nataraja temple Mahakumbabhishekam

The Mahakumbabhishekam was last performed in 1955.

Mahakumbabishekam is being performed on the Chitsaba of the Nataraja temple in Chidembaram on Friday. Photo: T. Singaravelou

Thousands of devotees on Friday witnessed the Mahakumbabishekam of the Chidambaram Nataraja temple, which was performed after a gap of 60 years.

Podudikshitars, the hereditary custodians-cum- archaka s of the temple, performed the Mahakumbabhishekam.

The dikshitars brought Gadam, a golden vessel containing holy water from yagasalai where special poojas and homams were performed from April 22, 2015. Pundits and

odhuvar s chanted hymns from the Vedas and Tamil scriptures.

At auspicious time, the Mahakumbabishekam was performed simultaneously for the four Rajagopurams — the Thathpurusha on the east, Sathyojatha on the west, Vamadeva on the north and Aghora on the south.

Several thousands of devotees who ascended the top of temple prakarams, witnessed the magnificent Mahakumbabishekam being performed at gopura kalasams of the Chitsaba (sanctum sanctoram), Kanakasabai (Artha Mandapam) and Rajasabai (the 1000-pillar mandap).

Devotees, even from Malaysia and Singapore, came down to the town to worship Lord Nataraja.

Police made elaborate security arrangement in view of the event.

The Mahakumbabhishekam was last performed in 1955.