CHIDAMBARAM - THE SEAT OF AAKASALINGA

The Temple Complex

This temple covering a vast area of 39 acres is in the heart of this city.  Its courtyards are quite spacious, accommodating several shrines and mini-shrines built in it.  It is surrounded by massive walls with four big, tank called Sivaganga tank measuring 175 x 100 feet in the North with a fine colonnade around,  beautified with mini-shrines.  Of the two gopurams the North and the South ones are of 160 feet high and have the carvings of the 108 dance poses.  A unique feature!  A great honour to Natya Sastra !!  Their sculptural beauty too is of high quality.  It has five principal sabhas halls, and are called by different and appropriate names, such as Kanakasabha, Chit sabha, Nritya sabha, Deva sabha and Raja sabha.  The highly venerated image of Nataraja is enshrined in the Chit sabha and it is garbha griha in common parlance.  It is here the Lord performed his Cosmic Dance first, and behind the idol and separated from it by a black screen, there is found the Aakaasalinga.  To be true, there is no Sivalinga at all, except golden chains adorning the wall, but we are made to believe that there lies something in nothing.  That is mysticism and it is the glory of Hinduism.  Sages and seekers of Truth, availed the vision of that august Aakaasamurti and pronounced that only true devotion realise God, the Almighty.

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