Location: Chidambaram
(Chola-North of Kaveri)
Shiva: Ambalavaanar, Natarajar
Ambal: Sivakami Amman
Vriksham: Tillai
Theertham: Siva Ganga
Other: Pancha Bhoota Stalam(Aakasam), Kanakasabhai
Patikam : Sambandar, Appar,Sundarar
Travel Base: Chidambaram

See detailed Templenet feature on Chidambaram.

Description: Chidambaram is one of the foremost Saivite shrines; the very name Kovil refers to Chidambaram, where Natarajar is enshrined in the ChitSabha or the Hall of Consciousness, in the Ananda Tandavam (Dance of Bliss) pose. Chidambaram is one of the Panchabhoota Stalams signifying the 5 elements of wind (Kalahasti), water (Tiruvanaikka), fire (Tiruvannamalai), earth (Kanchipuram) and space (Chidambaram). The Moovar (Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar) as well as Manikkavacakar have sung praises of Chidambaram. Several literary works praise the glory of Chidambaram.

Chidambaram is always referred to as the first of the Tevara Paadal Petra Stalangal and is also regarded as the first of the Tevara Stalangal located on the Northern banks of the river Kaveri in the Chola region of Tamilnadu.

Chidambaram is one of the 5 dance Halls of Shiva (Kanakasabhai).The five dance halls are Chidambaram, Madurai, Tiruvalankadu, Tirunelveli and Kutralam.

This temple is home to Chidambara Rahasyam, concept of nothingness (aroopam). Shiva is said to have revealed a vision of his cosmic dance to Patanjali, Vyagrapadar and to all Devas here. In terms of its antiquity, richness in terms of worship & festival traditions, in architectural & sculptural splendour, in its association with music & dance, Chidambaram is a center second to none in truly representing the rich Indian cultural heritage.

History: The Tevaram hymns were rediscovered here after a long hiatus, under the initiative of the monarch Raja Raja Cholan. The Chidambaram temple predates the Tevaram hymns. The Imperial Cholas considered Nataraja to be their tutelary deitiy and heaped patronage on this temple, and their tradition was continued by the Pandyas and the Vijayanagar Kings.

The Temple: Towering gopurams with thousands of figurines, mandapams with sculptured pillars, lend special interest to this vast temple complex. Govindaraja Perumal Temple is a Vaishnava Divya Desam within this complex There are several other features of interest in Chidambaram. Please follow this link for a special Templenet feature (from 1998) on Chidambaram..

Festivals: A whole range of worship services are offered to Natarajar and to Tirumoolattaanar here on a daily basis. Margazhi Tiruvadirai and Ani Tirumanjanam provide a climactic finish to the 2 annual festivals celebrated with great pomp here.

Kanyakumari Temple

Kanyakumari is located at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. The small temple dedicated to Kanyakumari, or the youthful form of the primeval energy Shakti (Mother Goddess) is located on the seashore, in the town known by the same name. Kanyakumari was referred to by the British as Cape Commorin.

Kanyakumari represents the site where the spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda spent days in meditation upon a rock off of the coast. A memorial built in his honor is accessible via ferry. There is also a recently built memorial to Tiruvalluvar, the author of the philosophical work Tirukkural - a treatise on the Indian way of life.

The Kanyakumari temple is an ancient one and has been mentioned in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Sangam works Manimekalai and Puranaanooru. It is believed that the image of Kanyakumari was installed and worshipped by Parasurama, who is credited with reclaiming Kerala from the ocean, and building several shrines.

Legend has it that the demon Baanaasuran wreaked havoc on the inhabitants of this world, and that Mahavishnu requested the Gods and the humans to request primeval energy Paraasakthi to vanquish the demon. Answering the prayers of the oppressed, Shakti appeared as a young virgin girl at Kanyakumari and commenced penance with the desire of marrying Shiva at Suchindram.

Legend has it that the celestial Sage Narada, fixed the midnight hour as the auspicious time for the wedding. When Shiva's procession reached a site by name Vazhukkumpaarai, a rooster crowed, hearlding daybreak, and that Shiva assuming that the auspicious hour was past, returned to Suchindram. The disappointed Goddess decided to spend her life in Kanyakumari as a virgin, and that all the food prepared for the wedding was laid waste and that it turned into the colored sand seen on the southern shores of the subcontinent.

The demon Banaasuran upon hearing of Shakti's story proceeded to Kanyakumari to win her hand in marriage by force, and this led to a fierce battle in which he was slain by her.

The temple: The black stone image of Kanyakumari in the sanctum bearing a garland is an enchanting one. Of particular significance is the glittering nose ring that is visible from a distance. Legend has it that the light emanating from this nose ring misguided arriving ships and caused them to crash onto the rocky coast. There is a door now, to the east of the shrine which is opened only five times a year. There are also shrines to Vijayasundari and Balasundari, friends and playmates of the Goddess in her youthful form. There are a total of 11 theerthams associated with the temple in the ocean surrounding the area. The confluence of the seas, at the southern tip of the subcontinent has been held sacred for centuries.

Festivals: Worship services are carried out here, throughout the day, in a manner similar to that in Keralite temples. It must be remembered that Kanyakaumari was a part of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom.

The Vaisakha festival is celebrated in the tamil month of Vaikasi where an image of the goddess is taken around town in procession on various mounts. The car festival, the Aaraatu (when the eastern door to the shrine is opened) and the float festival here are of significance.

The eastern door is opened also on new moon days in the months of Thai, Aadi (Capricorn and Cancer), during Navaratri and in the month of Kaartikai.

The Kalabham (sandal) festival in the month of Aadi is also of importance here, when the image is covered with sandal paste, and on the 13th day, ie. the last Friday of the month, vast crowds throng the temple as the image is covered with vast quantities of flowers brought in from several villages in the vicinity.

An image of the deity is held in worship at the Navaratri mandapam throughout the duration of Navaratri, and processions mark the festive celebrations on each of the nine nights.

The destruction of Baanasuran is enacted on Vijaya Dasami, the concluding day of the Navaratri festival, where an image of the deity is taken in procession on a horse mount to a nearby village - Mahadanapuram.

Thiruvannamalai Temple

Tiruvannamalai (Thiruvannamalai ) is a world renowned temple town in TamilNadu which is synonym to deepam(fire). Here Shiva (Arunachaleswar) is worshipped in the form of fire. This temple city is located about 180 kilometres from Chennai or when accessed from Vellore it is around 80 kilometres by road.

It is believed that this temple on the foot hill of Annamalai hill came to be built around 750 A.D. period as per the details available from archeological sculptures. It is the biggest temple in India dedicated to Lord Shiva.

This Shiva – Parvathi Arunachaleswarar temple has a 66 metre high gopuram that comprises of 13 storeys or tiers.

Here Shiva is known as Annamalayar in the form of Lingam and Parvathi known as Apitakuchambal. This term Annamalayar is derived from the name of the hills Annamalai that means an inaccessible mountain.

This sthala has been inhabited by many great saints and poets who have sung many poems on Lord Shiva. Among the many saints Saint Ramana Maharishi is believed to have lived here for about fifty years till his death in the year 1950. The Ashram of this Saint is located on the hill Arunachala that is located on the western side of this town.

Tiruvannamalai has many meditation and research centres attributed to siddha medicine. Reputed siddha yogis have lived here to offer their services to cure many ailments for all the sick people who came seeking for treatment. This place also proves to be a apt place for a break with good yoga centres available here in plenty.

As in most hindu temples Lord Arunachala temple has the biggest walking path around the hill. Devotees are expected to go around the hill at least one time to reap the full benefit and the blessings of the lord. Going around the hill is also known as Girivalam or Giripradhakshana. At Tiruvannamalai it is great sanctity to go girivalam during every full moon day of a month or during the annual Tiruvannamalai deepam day.

Thiruvannamalai Maha Karthigai Deepam Festival Many festivals are celebrated at Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai through out the year. Among them Karthigai Deepam is the most significant festival that is celebrated with pomp and gaiety at Arunachalaeswar temple every year in the month of Karthikai that falls between 15th November and 15th December. This festival always follows few weeks after Diwali the festival of lights. This Karthikai Deepam is celebrated as a ten day festival and it widely known as Karthikai Brahmotsavam. The first day Karthika Deepam festival begins with the hosting of the flag signifying the commencement of the festival also known as Dwajaroghanam. In the morning and night Lord Arunachaleswarar will be taken out on the silver vahana for procession. The Panchamurthis are also taken out in the procession. The Panchamurthis are Lord Ganapathi, Lord Murugan, Lord Sandeswarar, Lord Arunachaleswarar and Goddess Parvathi. These processions are carried out on different vahanas after the Deeparadhana is done at the kalyana mandapam. The second day Karthigai Deepam festival commences with the Lord Chandrasekhar coming in procession in the morning in the sun vahana and in the night Lord Periya Nayagar goes out on the Indira Vimanam the chariot of Lord Indira. The third day Karthika Deepam festival the ceremony begins at night with the Lord Periya nayagar coming in procession majestically on the Simha vahana, the chariot of lion. On the fourth day of Karthikai Deepam the Lord Periya Nayagar comes in the procession that starts at night on the kamadhenu vahanam. The auspicious tree Karpaviruksha is also on the side of the lord. This tree is believed to grant all the wishes that the devotees seek without fail. The fifth day Karthikai Deepam festival begins at night. This procession on the silver rishaba vahanam is very appealing and splendid to witness. Lord Periya nayagar goes on this vahana that is about 25 feet tall. A big umbrella with about 17 feet in diameter is carried along in the procession. The sixth day Karthigai Deepam festival commences with a night procession of Lord Periya Nayagar on the silver chariot that is beautifully crafted and simply imposing when it comes around the temple. The seventh day of Karthikai Deepam festival Lord Periya nayagar starts with the procession on the Maha ratham that is very huge and it almost occupies the full width of the road. This ratham is made of pure wood that is strong and rugged. The eight day Karthigai Deepam festival begins at night with the Lord Periya nayagar going out on procession on the huge horse vahana. The speciality of this horse is that all the four legs of this horse are in the air and they do not touch the ground. On the ninth day of Karthigai Deepam festival the devotees can witness Lord Periya nayagar going out procession on the Kailasa Vahanam. This ceremony is mostly conducted on the ninth night. The tenth day Karthigai Deepam festival starts at around four o clock in the early hours and the Bharani Deepam is lit at the temple. In the evening the Mahadeepam is lit on the top of the hill at around six o clock. This is a very important ceremony during the Karthikai Deepam festival at Tiruvannamalai. Arunachaleswarar is said to be visually represented in the form of agni on the hill top. There is a very mammoth gathering on this day at the Arunachaleswarar temple to witness this glorious and sacred event. The night ceremony starts with Lord Periya nayagar going out procession on the Rishaba vahanam that is made of gold. This is another spectacular event at Arunachaleswar temple at Tiruvannamalai. On the eleventh day Lord Arunachaleswarar goes in the boat and this is called Theppam, since it carried out in the tank. The twelveth day the Lord Arunachaleswarar goes procession round the hill, known as Girivalam or pradhiksahana. With this ceremony the Karthigai Deepam festival at Arunachaleswarar temple comes to a grand conclusion with the devotees taking back home some divine blessings and memories from this ancient holy city Tiruvannamalai.

Thanjavur Temple

		Welcome to Thanjavur.net, the website for the Chola Capital city and the Granary of South India. Thanjavur was the royal city of the Cholas, Nayaks and the Mahrattas. Thanjavur derives its name from Tanjan-an asura (giant), who according to local legend devastated the neighborhood and was killed by Sri Anandavalli Amman and Vishnu, Sri Neelamegapperumal. Tanjan's last request that the city might be named after him was granted. Thanjavur was at height of its glory during Rajaraja cholan. Let us take Thanjavur back to its past glory in the information age. Thanjavur is still the center of all the classical arts and music. It has produced many classical musicians and bharathanatyam dancers and is also well known for its unique painting style called Tanjore Painting and Thavil, a percussion instrument. Here we have the ultimate site for all the information about Thanjavur and its neighborhood. It is the capital of the Thanjavur district and its been the center for learning Tamil during Chola and now with the establishment of Tamil University by our late Chief Minister Dr. M.G. Ramachandran. There are a lot of beautiful temples in Thanjavur region. Big Temple stands tall with its beaming tower. It's one of the architectural wonders of the world.