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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 |
|
|
Summer
|
|
|
Winter
|
|
| 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 |
Other
Festivals
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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