Cyclone Aila- June 2009

 

Chidambaram-May 2009

Snapshots of the Chidambaram Temple














The Magnificent Gopuram of the Chidambaram Temple

The trip to Chidambaram was ostensibly a precursor to the marriage that we had to attend in the town of Pichavaram near Chidambaram and since we were returning from the trip to Velankanni church- we thought it worthwhile to stay in the temple city of Chidambaram the night before.

The Grand Gopuram with the Temple Tank in the Foreground

Intricate Work on Wood on the Temple Chariot

The trip to vellankanni was great and we were pretty tired when we reached chidambaram. It was around 22.30 hrs on Saturday – May 09, 2009.
My good friend Zafar had booked a room for us at the Salim Palace lodge which is very proximate to the Temple.

Pillayar (Lord Ganesh) Temple inside the Temple Compound

Nataraja is lord Shiva in his Ananda Tandava form which is the cosmic dance of bliss.

We did a puja for our loved ones in the temple; the ritual in the temple was to remove the shirts for the males. The puja was a good experience and we had the coconuts from the puja as a prasadam.

Corridors near the Temple Tank

Chidambaram is one of the sacred of Hindu temples in south India. Built in the glory of lord Shiva (Natarajar), the temple is an architectural marvel.
With its tall gopurams (gates) and majestic stone arches, the temple is sight to be seen. The large temple tank and the corridors in the vicinity add a splendour that is unsurpassed by any.

An Old Temple near the Mada Streets of the Main Temple

We highly recommend this temple to be visited by all devout people as more than the religious fervour, it provides a time for us to unite with the powers beyond us and rise above the material needs of our world.