About Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple:
- The Great Chidambaram Temple, also known as the Thillai Nataraja Temple or Sri Sabanayagar Temple, is a Hindu temple located in the temple town of Chidambaram in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
- It is dedicated to Nataraja, the cosmic dance form of Lord Shiva.
- History:
- Historical evidence suggests a Shiva shrine existed at the site well before the 7th century AD, when the town was referred to as Thillai.
- The Chola dynasty, who revered Nataraja as their family deity, significantly contributed to the temple's construction and enhancement during the 10th century.
- It was during this period that the Chola king, Parantaka I, established the temple's golden roof.
- Notable rulers such as Rajaraja Chola I, Kulothunga Chola I, Kundavai II, the daughter of Rajaraja Chola, and Vikrama Chola made considerable offerings to the shrine during its flourishing era.
- Following the 10th century, the temple underwent various phases of damage, repair, renovation, and expansion throughout the 2nd millennium.
- The majority of the temple's existing layout, architectural features, and structural elements date back to the late 12th and early 13th centuries, with subsequent additions made in a similar architectural style.
- Over the years, numerous kingdoms, including the Viyanagara Rulers, Madurai Nayakas, Maharaja of Pudukkottai, Sethupathy, and even the British, have made donations to the temple.
- The Podhu Dikshidars, a hereditary community of priests, have been managing the temple for centuries, unlike most of the other famous and historic temples.
- Architecture:
- It is a remarkable testament to the brilliance of Chola architecture.
- This site holds considerable scientific significance, as it is positioned at the world's Magnetic Equator.
- The temple complex is embedded inside four prakarams (courtyards), each surrounded by walls.
- There are nine prominent gopurams that link the various courtyards.
- The innermost structures, including the sanctum and the shrines, are designed with square layouts, and the roof of the sanctum sanctorum is adorned with gold plates.
- The temple's wall carvings depict all 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra, authored by Bharata Muni, which serve as the foundational postures for Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form.
- The temple comprises five principal Halls or Sabhas: the Kanaka Sabha, the Chit Sabha, the Nritta Sabha, the Deva Sabha, and the Raja Sabha.
