 Chidambaram greets us with a beautiful temple, dedicated to Lord Nataraja - God Siva, in the form of a cosmic Dancer. This is one of the few temples where Siva and Vishnu are enshrined under one roof. Dedicated to Lord Nataraja, this ancient temple of the Cholas is unique not only it is devoted solely to the art of Bharatanatyam, but also it is one of the rare temples where Shiva is represented by an idol rather than the customary Lingam. Spread over an area of 40 acres with a gopuram on each side, the temple is distinguished by five sabhas or courts.
General Information
Area 5 sq. kms.
Population 58,740 (1991 census)
Altitude 5.97 m
Climate Max. Min.
Summer 37.1º c 36.4º c
Winter 21.3º c 20.1º c
Rainfall 83.5 cms average
Clothing Tropical
Season Throughout the year
Languages spoken Tamil and English
STD Code 04144
Places of interest
The Nataraja Temple
The temple located in the centre of the town covers an area of 40 acres. It is one of the ancient temples of Tamil Nadu. The roof of the sanctum sanctorum is covered with gold plates. The presiding deity of the temple is represented by air, one of the five elements of the universe and is known as Akasa Lingam.
The Eastern tower rises to a height of 40.8 metres. 108 Bharatha Natyam dance gestures can be seen on the Eatern towers as well as Western tower. The Northern tower rises to a height of 42.4 metres.
The Sivakamiamman temple, the Sivaganga tank, the thousand pillar hall are other important features of the temple.
Kali Temple
The Thillaikaliamman temple is on the northern end of the town. It was built by Kopperunjingan, who ruled between 1229 AD and 1278 AD.
Annamalai University
It is a residential University founded by the Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar. It is a great centre of Tamil learning and carnatic music; now offers educational facilities in various disciplines including Medicine, Agriculture, Engineering etc.
Excursions
Pichavaram
Pichavaram, 16 kms. east of Chidambaram, ranks among the most exquisite scenic spot with abundant and varied tourism resources. The backwaters which are interconnected by the Vellar and Kollidam system offer abundant scope for water sports - parasailing, rowing and canoeing.
Neyveli
It is about 30 kms. from Chidambaram via Vadalur. It is one of the biggest industrial complexes in the country. The lignite mined here is used for thermal power generation. Apart from fertilisers ceramic wares and Leco (cooking coal), a number of by-products are also produced from lignite.
Kalvarayan Hills
The Kalvarayan hills are situated 150 kms north west of Chidambaram on the western side of Kallakurichi Taluk. Spread over an area of 600 sq. kms. approximately with the height ranging from 315 mts. to 1190 mts. these hills offer a temperate climate and quiet solititude. There is a botanical garden on the hills. There are two waterfalls here. The area is ideal for trekking. A summer Festival is also held every year in May.
Tarangambadi
Once the site of a Danish settlement, Tarangambadi has the remains of the Dansborg fort built by Ore Gedde, the commander of the Royal Dutch Navy, in the 17th century. The fort constructed in 1620 with two storeys was the most important building which housed the top echelons of the Danish officials. Apart from the ramparts, the rest of the buildings are in good condition.
Festivals
Markazhi Thiruvadhirai Day Festival December - January.
Adi Thirumanjanam Festival June.
Panguni Uthiram Festival March-Festival
How to get there ?
Air
Nearest Airport is Trichy.
Rail
It is connected by rail with Trichy, Madurai, Chennai.
Road
It is also connected with all major towns.
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