Sri Natarajar Temple at Chidambaram | Photo Credit: S. S. Kumar
There are Shiva temples galore in Tamil Nadu, with some of them organised into clusters. The Padal Petra Sthalams are the temples wherein Shiva has been praised in the Tamil verses of the Nayanmars or the important Shiva devotees; the Pancha Bhuta Sthalam are five Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh associated with the five elements and the Pancha Sabhas are the five Shiva shrines which are the arenas of Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer.
NATARAJA TEMPLE, CHIDAMBARAM
The temple tank at the Chidambaram temple. | Photo Credit: SAMRAJ M
Chidambaram, home to Nataraja, is known as Kanaka Sabha or Ponnambalam (Hall of Gold). There are five sabhas namely the Chit Sabha, Kanaka Sabha, Nritta Sabha, Deva Sabha and Raja Sabha inside the Chidambaram temple. The most important is the Chit Sabha, where the images of Nataraja and Parvati (Sivakami) are enshrined. The famous Chidambara Rahasyam (secret of Chidambaram) is the empty space within the sanctum indicating space or akasha. Close by is the Kanaka Sabha. Both the Chit and the Kanaka Sabhas are sacred and were gilded by kings of many dynasties, including the Cholas. Sivakamasundari (Parvati) is enshrined in a separate large sanctum.
An inside view of the Sri Thillai Natarajar Temple, Chidambaram. | Photo Credit: SAMRAJ M
Each of the four eyecatching gopurams have sculptures of the 108 karanas or dance movements mentioned in the Natyasastra by Sage Bharata. The East and West gopurams also have the relevant verses from this text inscribed on top of the karana sculptures. The sanctum called Nritta Sabha is for Urdhva Tandava Siva where Nataraja dances with one leg lifted vertically.
This temple has a famous shrine for Vishnu, worshipped as Govindaraja Perumal, which is one of the 108 Divya Desams or Vishnu temples praised in the Tamil hymns of the Azhvars or Vaishnava saints.
MEENAKSHI-SUNDARESHWARAR TEMPLE, MADURAI
Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. | Photo Credit: Chithra Madhavan
Madurai, originally known by many names such as Koodal and Kadamba-vana-kshetra (as it was situated in a forest of Kadamba trees) is home to the famous Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar temple.
Sundareshwara or Chokkanatha is believed to have performed 64 lilas or miracles according to literary works like the Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam. It is said that Indra ordered Vishwakarma, the celestial architect to build the sanctum (vimanam) and hence it is called Indra Vimanam. A special feature of this sanctum is that it is held up by eight stone elephants which represent the Ashta Dik Gajas (guarding the eight directions).
A view of the Golden Lotus in Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple tank, in Madurai, Tamilnadu. | Photo Credit: ASHOK R
While the main deity in the Sundareshwarar sanctum is the lingam, the Nataraja image here is unique. Unlike other Natarajas where the Cosmic Dancer lifts the left leg with the right one on the ground, here the right leg is lifted with the left planted on the ground. This rare pose is connected to a quaint story in the Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam about King Rajasekhara Pandya who was a dancer and knew the difficulty of standing on one leg for a long time. The royal bhakta requested Nataraja to relieve his stress by standing on the other leg and hence this pose.
Since Nataraja here is covered with silver, this place came to be called Rajatha Sabha or Velli Ambalam (Hall of Silver). This temple, with multiple sanctums, 14 gopurams and innumerable mandapams, has evolved over the centuries to its present huge size. The belief that goddess Meenakshi was the daughter of the Pandyan king Malayadvaja Pandya and his queen Kanchanamala, made the Pandyas lavish their attention on this temple. After the immense damage done by invaders to this temple in the 14th century, the Nayak kings of Madurai contributed substantially to its revival.
VATARANYESHWARAR TEMPLE, THIRUVALANGADU
The temple that witnessed a dance competition between Shiva and Kali. | Photo Credit: Chithra Madhavan
Thiruvalangadu, a village near Arakonam, has the large and ancient Vataranyeshwarar temple. This place was once full of of banyan trees as indicated by the Tamil name Thiruvalangadu (sacred banyan jungle) and by the Sanskrit name of the presiding deity Vataranyeshwarar (God of the banyan forest). According to traditional accounts, Nataraja and Kali had a dance competition here, during which Nataraja’s earring fell down. He picked it with the toes of his left leg and put it back in the ear-lobe without stopping the dance. Shiva won the contest as Kali did not want to imitate this pose. As Shiva lifted his leg vertically (‘urdhva’ in Sanskrit), the Nataraja image here is known as Urdhava Tandavamurti.
People visiting Thiruvalangadu usually go to the Kali shrine first and then pray to Vataranyeshwara. Of particular importance is the association of Karaikkal Ammaiyar, one of the three women in the list of 63 Nayanmars, with this temple. When she was young, she prayed to Shiva to give her an old and emaciated form. Karaikkal Ammaiyar visited many Shiva temples and finally went to Kailash, where she was directed by the deity to go to Thiruvalangadu.
This temple, which has five enclosures (prakarams) existed in the Pallava era and was subsequently expanded. Parvati is known as Vandarkuzhali Amman and Brahmaralakamba. In the second prakaram is the sanctum enshrining eight-armed Nataraja in Urdhva Tandava with Karaikkal Ammaiyar playing the cymbals and Parvati is near the Cosmic Dancer. This Nataraja is unique and famous. This temple is known as the Rathna Sabha (Hall of Gems).
Inscriptions here mention the original names of the deity as Thiruvalangadu Udaiya Nayanar, located in Pazhaiyanur. Hence, Thiruvalangadu was once known as Pazhaiyanur. Sundaramurti Nayanar of the 8th century refers to the main deity as Pazhaiyanur-Amma.
NELLAIAPPAR TEMPLE, TIRUNELVELI
A view of the musical pillars inside Nellaiappar temple. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Situated in the heart of Tirunelveli is the ancient and historic temple of Shiva, who is worshipped as Nellaiappar. Adjacent to it is the niche for Parvati, worshipped here as Kanthimati. The two temples are connected by a long, beautiful corridor called Sangili Mandapam. It is said that Shiva was worshipped by sage Agastya in a bamboo grove (Venu Vana) and hence the name Venu-vana-nathar (God of the Bamboo Forest) by which this deity was once known. The sacred tree (Sthala-vriksham) f this temple is bamboo seen in the second prakaram.
According to a tradition, a person named Vedasharma brought home rice grains and spread it on the ground to dry them. He prayed to Shiva to protect them from being washed away by rain. The deity guarded the rice grains (nel) like a fence (veli). Hence the name Nel-veli-nathar (Lord of the sacred fence of rice ). As this incident took place in present-day Tirunelveli, it got the name Nelveli with the prefix ‘Tiru’ (sacred) being added later. Shiva in this temple is therefore called Nellaiappar.
This huge temple has three enclosures (prakarams), the epicenter of which is the principal sanctum which enshrines the Linga worshipped as Nelliappar believed to be a swayambu or self-manifested Linga. Inscriptions in this temple mention the ancient names of this deity as Thirunelveli Udaiyar and Thirunelveli Udaiya Nayanar.
Of special interest in this temple is the sanctum for Vishnu called Pallikonda Perumal and Nellai Govindan. Here, Vishnu is seen reclining on the five-hooded serpent Adisesha with his head to the west. This Vishnu sanctum was constructed during the reign of Rajaraja Chola I (985-1014 C.E.) as also the mandapa in front, which is common to the Shiva and Vishnu sanctums.
The second prakaram of this temple, houses the famous Tamra Sabha (Hall of Copper) with a sloping roof, one of the most venerated shrines in this temple. In the month of Margazhi, during Arudra (Thiruvadirai) nakshatram, the images of Nataraja and Sivakami are worshipped. Behind the Tamra Sabha is the sanctum for Chandana Sabhapati. Viewing Chandana Sabhapati through the Tamra Sabha is divine experience.
The gopurams of Thirukutralanathar swami temple in Tenkasi with . | Photo Credit: SHAIKMOHIDEEN A
KUTRALANATHAR TEMPLE, Courtallam
Kutralam, in the Pandya country, well-known for its waterfalls, is home to the Kurumpalaveesar (Kutralanatha) temple. The deity is called so because this temple is associated with the Kurumpala or the jackfruit tree, traditionally revered as the Sthala Vriksham or sacred tree here. Parvathi is worshipped here as Kuzhalvai Mozhi Nayaki. This temple is known for its Chitra Sabha (Hall of Paintings). This hall, with a copper-plated roof, is full of beautiful paintings, especially of Nataraja, and others associated with Saivite lore
