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THE TEMPLE AND ITS HISTORY
The early history of the temple
lies hidden in the mists of time. It reached its present
form under the patronage of the kings of the Chola dynasty
in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. From the aerial view
we can see the total surface area of the temple covers
13 hectares or 35 acres. Placing it among the largest
temples in the whole of India. It is designed with five
concentric Prakaras, or circumambulatory temple courtyards.
These are associated with the Five Elements. The innermost Prakara is not visible. It lies within the sanctum with the
golden roof, and can only be entered by the Deekshithars.
The architecture and the rituals of this temple reflect its
history and doctrine.
Where we now find this beautiful
and ancient temple, was once an impenetrable forest of
Tillai trees, which is a kind of mangrove. This forest gave
Chidambaram its firs and most ancient name, Tillai. Within
this sprawling forest was a lotus pond, and at the southern
bank of this pond existed a Svayambhu Linga. A linga is a
representation of Lord Shiva which unites both the concepts
of Form as well as of Formless in itself. In modern terms
this formless-form might be called an abstraction.
Svayambhu means ‘self existent’,
signifying that the linga was not made by human beings, but
came into existence by itself, from nature. To this lotus
pond in the Tillai forest came two saints, named Vyagrapada
and Patanjali. They came from very different backgrounds and
from very different directions, but they came for the same
reason: to witness Shiva’s Cosmic Dance. It had been
foretold to them that if they would worship the linga on the
bank of the lotus pond in the forest, Lord Shiva would come
to perform His Dance.
Eventually this great event took
place. Nataraja came to perform His Dance on a Thursday,
when the moon was in the asterism Pushan, in the Tamil month
of Tai, long before the Christian era. This dance is called
the Ananda Tandava or Dance of Bliss. The saints achieved
liberation, and on their special request Shiva promised to
perform His Dance for all time at that place. For the full
narration of the myth the reader is referred to chapter III.
The story of the origin of the
worship of Shiva Nataraja in Chidambaram is told in the
Chidambaram Mahatmyam. The Sacred History of Chidambaram,
which is part of the Skanda Purana, one of the 18 great
Puranas or collections of mythology. From one of the saints,
Vyagrapada, which means Tiger Footed, Chidambaram received
its
second name, Puliyur, meaning ‘City of the Tiger’.
Its third name, Chidambaram, refers
to the philosophy and doctrine of the temple. Cit means
consciousness or wisdom. Ambaram signifies ether in
Sanskrit, but in Tamil the ambalam means hall. The name
unifies two aspects of the doctrine. Meaning both Hall of
Wisdom, as well as the place of the Ether of Consciousness.
The edifice which now includes
within its garbhagriha or sanctum this Svayambhu linga form
of Shiva, situated on the southern bank of the sacred pound,
is called Mulasthana. This Sanskrit term means ‘place of
origin’ or ‘root place’. It can be found in the
third courtyard, within the Nataraja temple proper. Facing
east, it is a conventional temple with a garbha-griha or
sanctum containing the linga, and an ardha-mandapa, a hall
in front of the sanctum.
In this ardha-mandapam we find the
images of the two saints, Vyagrapada and Patanjali. They
stand with their hands folded, worshipping. A sanctum placed
at an angle to the linga shrine, facing south, houses the
consort of Shiva, the goddess Uma-Parvati. On the western
wall of the shrine we find a relief sculptured of the Kalpa
Vriksha or Wishing Tree of Paradise. This shrine achieved
its present form probably under the middle and later Cholas
in the 11th and 12th century.
The main edifices of the temple are
the five Sabhas or Halls: the Cit Sabha, Kanaka Sabha, Deva
Sabha, Nritta Sabha, and the Raja Sabha.
At the centre of the temple is
situated the sanctum sanctorum or holy of holiest, called
the Cit Sabha or Cit Ambalam. This means the ‘Hall of
Wisdom’. It is the main shrine where Lord Shiva Nataraja
accompanied by his consort Parvati performs His Cosmic
Dance, the Ananda Tandava or Dance of Bliss.
The world is the embodiment of the
Virat Purusha, the colossal human form. Chidambaram is the
centre of this form, the place of the heart, where Shiva
performs the Cosmic Dance.
The Chidambaram temple is laid out
as a Purusha. For this reason the devotees may approach the
central shrine from two sides. As blood flows to and from
the heart. The nine stupas topping the golden roof represent
the nine orifices of the human body, and also symbolize the
nine Matrikas or goddesses. The roof is made of 21.600
tiles, representing inhalations and exhalations of breath.
The links and side joints symbolize the connecting veins.
The five main steps at the entrance
to the shrine stand between the devotees and the image of
Shiva, covered in silver. They are the five seed words or
syllables of the mantra.
By chanting these syllables, the
devotee can cross the ocean of bondage and attain to
the Lord. The granite plinth of the shrine is called
Parvadam, because it does duty for Mount Kailasa in
providing a support for Lord Shiva. On all special occasions
puja or worship is performed to this plinth.
The name, Hall of Consciousness or
Hall of Wisdom, refers to the quality of wisdom which
pervades the atmosphere, bestowed upon the worshippers by
the Dance of the Lord. His boon is the experience of the
Cosmic Dance.
A unique feature is that the
structure of the actual Sabha is made of wood, which has so
far not been botanically classified. It is rectangular in
form and here Shiva is worshipped in his three aspects:
As Form
Nataraja the murti or image of Shiva
As Formless-Form
The crystal linga called Chandramaulishvara
As Formless
The yantra which is the Akasha Linga
From the platform opposite the
Sabha one can see the image of the Dancing Shiva, situated
in the middle of the Sabha. Shiva is facing south, unlike
most other Hindu deities. This signifies he is the Conqueror
of Death, dispelling the fear of death for the
humanity.
The Crystal Linga called
Chandramaulishvara is Shiva as Formless-Form. This Crystal
Linga was formed from the essence of the crescent moon in
Shiva’s matted hair, for the purpose of daily worship. This
murti is taken from its keeping place at the feet of
the Nataraja six times a day, and abhishekam of holy
ablution is performed to him in the hall called Kanaka Sabha
in front of the Cit Sabha.
Immediately to the proper right of
the Nataraja is the Chidambaram Rahasyam, the ‘mystery’ of
Chidambaram. Here, behind a silk curtain which is black on
the outside and red on the inside, is the Akasha Linga, in
the form of a yantra. An abstract geometrical design,
on which the deity is invoked. Behind the curtain, before
the yantra, hang a few strands of golden vilva leaves. This
signifies the act of creation. One moment nothing exists,
the next instant the All has been brought into existence. At
regular timings the curtain is removed to allow the devotees
to worship the Akasha. The Ether which is the vehicle of the Absolute and
Consciousness.
The Cit Sabha houses one more
unique form of Shiva. This is the Ratna Sabha Pati, the Ruby
Lord of the Sabha: a replica of the Nataraja murti in ruby
form. This murti appeared out of the fire of the sacrifice
in response to the devotion of the Deekshithars.
Once a day, as part of the 10.00
o’clock morning puja ritual, after the abhishekam of the
Crystal Linga, abhishekam is also performed to the Ruby
Shiva. As conclusion of this ceremony the Ruby Nataraja is
placed on the edge of the Parvadam of the Kanaka Sabha and
Mangala Arati is offered. This is the burning of camphor on
a special plate which is shown both in front and behind the
Ruby Nataraja. This brings out the special quality of
translucence of this murti, creating a mystical spectacle
for the onlookers.
Nobody knows when the worship of
Nataraja was established here, or when the Cit Sabha was
build. The original wooden structure is doubtless the oldest
structure in the temple complex, as the shrine of the
Mulasthana Linga is a later construction under the
Chola Kings. The Sabha has no features that could help to
date it. It is unique and no other structure is known like
it anywhere else in Indian architecture. Analysis by the C
14 method would be unreliable because it is known to have
been regularly renovated
during the centuries. But the origins of the temple of Shiva
Nataraja in Chidambaram definitely lie back in prehistoric
times.
According to the mythology the
temple was first constructed by a king called Shveta Varman.
This king was healed of leprosy by bathing in the sacred
pond in the Tillai forest and witnessed the Cosmic Dance.
The first gilding of the roof of the Cit Sabha and the
instituting of the temple and the formal worship of the
Nataraja are all attributed to this King.
The first historical references can
be found in the Skanda Purana, especially in the Suta
Samhita part. Here Shanmukha, the six-faced son of Shiva and
Parvati, is described as worshipping his parents in
Chidambaram, before going to do battle with a demon called
Surapadma. This text can be dated to the second century BCE.
The Cit Sabha, Shiva’s dance and
Chidambaram are also prominently mentioned in the
Tirumantiram of Tirumular, an important religious and
philosophical text in ancient Tamil, dating from the
beginning of the Christian era. A few centuries later the
temple and its Lord are often mentioned by poets of the
Tevaram, especially Appar and Sambandar (7th century) and by
Manikavasakar (8th century).
The first historical kings to claim
having gilded the roof of the Cit Sabha are the Chola Aditya
I (871-907) and his son Parantaka I (907-955). By this time
the temple had already become important. The place where
kings were crowned, and where they came to worship and receive counsel. How the gilding of the roof
was done is a knowledge that was sadly lost with time. But
it is without doubt one of the great technical achievements
of ancient times.
Immediately in front of the Cit
Sabha is the Kanaka Sabha, or golden hall. Its roof is made
of copper, although Kanaka means gold. This is the gold of
spiritual treasure: to experience Shiva’s dance from so
near.
In this Sabha are most of the daily
rituals of worship for Nataraja performed. The Yagna of the
morning rituals. The rituals with lamps and ritual objects.
And the abhishekam of the Crystal Linga and Ruby Nataraja.
The public can enter certain areas of the Kanaka Sabha for worship of the Nataraja and the Akasha
Linga at specified hours of the day. It is a controversy whether this Sabha was originally constructed together with the Cit Sabha,
or some time later.
The Nritta Sabha is the shrine in
the form of a ratha or chariot, pulled by two stone horses.
It is situated opposite the Cit Sabha, in the third
courtyard. It is the place of the dance contest between
Nataraja and the goddess Kali. Shiva conquered the goddess, who
would not calm down after she destroyed a powerful demon, by
lifting his right leg straight up towards the sky. This
dance is called the Urdhva Tandava. Then and there Kali
suddenly remembered who she really was, the peaceful Parvati,
consort of Shiva, and she was able to leave her furious mood
and returned to her peaceful self. This scene is depicted in
the sanctum inside the Sabha. We see Shiva performing his
Urdhva Tandava, his leg lifted straight above his head, Kali
calmed down in one corner, both accompanied by Vishnu
playing the talam, the instrument which is used to accompany dance.
The chariot form of the Sabha
commemorates Shiva as Tripurasamhara murti, the Destroyer of
the Three Demon Cities. Several divine powers joined
together to create Shiva’s chariot. Thus the sun and moon
became the wheels, the Vedas the horses etc. After destroying the Three Cities he descended from his
chariot, having landed opposite the Cit Sabha, and ascended
into the Sabha to commence His Dance. From this the Nritta
Sabha is also called Edir Amabalam or opposite hall.
This Sabha has several
distinguishing features aside from its shape and its
function. Its columns are unique to the chariot hall. They
are square, and although carved from the hardest granite
they are covered with exquisite miniature relief’s,
depicting dancers, musicians and all kinds of mythological figures.
One other feature sets this edifice
apart from any other hall within the temple complex and from
all other temple halls in India. This Sabha is mysteriously
connected to the Sphinx. Just under the floor surface of the
raised platform which is the body of the Sabha is a belt or
pattika, surrounding the whole Sabha. Here we see lions and
sphinxes alternating in pairs, girdling the Sabha.
Also the pillars of the two
pavilions on the western side of the Sabha are supported by
four sphinxes which function as caryatids. The Nritta Sabha is considered by
tradition the second oldest building in the complex, without
any real indication of its age. It is reported in
inscriptions as having been renovated by the Chola King
Kulottunga I in the 11th century.
The Deva Sabha can be found in the
third prakara or courtyard. The festival deities are kept
during the year, and worship is performed for them daily.
This is done inside the Sabha, and is not open to the
public. The age and history of this Sabha is also hidden in
the mists of time. There is some evidence the Deva Sabha was
once used as an audience hall by visiting kings of the
different governing dynasties of the Cholas, Pandyas and
others during the several phases of history. No other
information is
available.
The Raja Sabha is the Thousand
Pillar Hall in the second courtyard. It is the architectural
representation of the Sahasradara, or Crown Chakra. Which is
the seventh spiritual energy point in the astral body. The
Nataraja and the goddess Sivakamasundari, his consort, dance
here on the 9th and 10th day of the Chariot Festival.
About this Sabha too, we have very
little historical information. It is first mentioned as the
place where the medieval poet Sekkilar premiered his great
work on the lives of the 63 Nayanmars or Saiva saints, the
Periya Purana, before the Chola king Kulottunga II or III,
in the 12th century. Its base is encircled by relief’s
of dancers and musicians, as it were participating in a
procession.
The most imposing feature of the
temple, which can be seen soaring above the plain from miles
away, are the four temple gateways or gopurams, located in
the second wall of enclosure at the cardinal points. They
are considered among the earliest examples of such structures and are in their present form dated to the
12th and 13th century. Scholars disagree about the dates of
individual gopurams, or about which one was build first.
Some consider the west gopuram as oldest, some the east
gopuram.
In between the sculptures
decorating the inside of the west gopuram we find a musician
playing a standing double drum. This could point to an early
date for this gopuram. On the outside of the granite bases
of the gopurams are found sculptures of many important as
well as less well known deities in niches in a particular
order. The inside walls of passages through all the four
gopurams are decorated with the 108 karanas, the dance
movements of Shiva, from the Natya Shastra, the world’s most
ancient treatise on dance, drama and theatre. Besides in
Chidambaram these karanas are depicted in only four other
temples, all in Tamil Nadu.
The four gopurams, together with
the golden dome of the central shrine are the five towers
which represent the five faces of Shiva, with the Cit Sabha
symbolizing the masterful face.
In the innermost courtyard, at a
right angle with the golden Sabha, we find the shrine of
Vishnu, as Govinda Raja. Reclining on the Cosmic Snake, he
is in the yogic state of consciousness, enjoying the vision
of Shiva’s dance. The coexistence of the worship of both Vishnu and Shiva within one temple is unique. The
worship of Vishnu was established in the earliest times and
was originally performed by the Deekshithars themselves. In
the later medieval period, with a shifting political
situation under pressure of Muslim invasions, there was
possibly a discontinuation of the worship for a long period, after which it re-instated by the king Achyuta
Raya (1539) of the Vijayanangara empire. The worship of
Vishnu Govinda Raja has since then been in the hands of
Vaishnava priests, and was no longer performed by the
Deekshithars.
Within the inner courtyard, to the
east of the Sabha, we find a small shrine which houses the
murtis of both the Creator god Brahma, of the Hindy Trinity,
and Chandikeshvara, a deified saint. The presence of Brahma
(a deity almost never worshipped) establishes the worship of
all three deities of the Hindu Trinity with-in the one complex.
The temple of goddess
Shivakamasundari, consort of Shiva, is situated on the west
side of the Shivaganga tank. A flight of steps leads down
into its courtyard. The goddess is worshipped here as the Jñana Shakti: the energy and power
of wisdom. On the frontal portion of the pillared hall, on
the ceiling of the right and left wings, the finest
eye-capturing fresco paintings of approximately a thousand
years old, illustrate the Leelas or Sacred Deeds of Shiva.
The galleries surrounding the temple are decorated with a
procession of dancers and musicians, sculptured in relief.
This temple was possibly build in the 11th century under the
Chola king Kulottunga I.
The Shiva Ganga is the sacred water
place or tank. It is famous for healing the ancient king
Sveta Varman of his skin disease. His skin became golden
after which he was called Hiranya Varman. In this tank we find a stone
representation of the Linga of Tiruvanaikaval, which
represents the Element Water. In the dry season it becomes
visible as the water level in the tank is reduced.
The Pandya Nayaka temple is
dedicated to Murugan, the second son of Shivan and Parvati.
This shrine is also shaped as a chariot, pulled by horses
and elephants. This temple was according to tradition build
by a king of the Pandya dynasty from Madurai, which
superceded the rule of the Cholas in the 13th century. His
name was Sundarar Pandya, and the temple is named after him.
In the middle of the 18th century
this temple was renovated with the support of Dutch
merchants, who had a trading post in nearby Porto Nuovo.
According to an inscription on copper plates they donated a
share of their profit for this purpose. |
