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Lord Shiva (Nataraja — the Cosmic Dancer) · Tamil Nadu

Thillai Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram)

One of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalam, the seat of space (akasha) and home of the iconic Nataraja bronze. Chidambaram is the seat of Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer. The Chidambara Rahasya, the secret of the temple, is the worship of space itself, the empty hall beside the dancing deity where nothing, and everything, is seen.
Thillai Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram), painted in gouache

About Chidambaram.

The record1 min read

Its founding — An ancient shrine of the Cholas; the present structure and its gold-roofed sanctum are Chola-period.

A verified route inside Thillai Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram) is not recorded here yet.

Start with what the shrine and its map can tell you.

Map ↗

What devotees come for

  • The Chidambara Rahasya — the formless form of the Lord
  • The Chola bronzes, considered the finest bronze icons in the world
  • Aani Tirumanjanam and Margazhi Tiruvaadirai — separate festivals
  • Sought for the grace that comes through art, dance and stillness

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Questions devotees ask

Where is Thillai Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram)?
Thillai Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram) is recorded at Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu.
Who is the presiding deity at Thillai Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram)?
The presiding deity recorded for Thillai Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram) is Lord Shiva (Nataraja — the Cosmic Dancer).

Keep this shrine close

We do not sell darshan.Here is the temple’s own desk.

Temple World keeps the record. The timing, the ticket and the entry rule are the shrine’s to publish — read them there before you travel, and treat anything on this page as a reference only.

  • The shrine’s own siteNot recorded for this shrine yetAsk the temple office directly rather than a travel pageNone
  • Darshan optionsRecord a request for helpNo payment is taken. A request is not a bookingReference
  • Plan the visitSourced guidance, cited line by lineEvery section there names the page it was read fromPlanner
  • The rite referencesNo online service is recorded for this templeBrowse the rites we do hold a reference forBrowse