Like in many of the greatest temple towns in India, Chidambaram lends itself better to glossy photographs in coffee table books, somehow removed from the everydayness of its rather dusty streets. There was a time very long ago, when town planners ensured that the temple, which remains central to any pilgrim destination even today, towered above everything else, a lofty inspiration for its residents and visitors. Today, the 40 magnificent acres of gopurams, tanks and prakarams of the temple to Nataraja at Chidambaram lie within a maze of misplaced urbanisation. But this Panchabhoota Shivasthala, one of the five great temples where Shiva presides as a primordial element - here, he is worshipped as ether or space - is hardly going to be obscured by a few anonymous buildings. It is a treasure so glorious and generous that it is easily found.

Legends and Mythology
Chidambaram has another name as well: Puliyur or Vyaghrapuri, after Sage Vyaghrapadhar, who, along with sages Patanjali and Jaimini, is said to have done many years of penance. When Shiva appeared before them, they asked him for only one boon: that they should see his ananda thandavam (blissful dance) in Thillai. Shiva agreed and set a date for his performance. The day was a Thursday in the Tamil month of Thyy (Jan-Feb) with the asterism of Poosam. All the gods and sages gathered in Thillai to watch the thandavam. And how did Nataraja (natanam means dance) dance for them? Wrote the poet Muthuthandava, "Shaking a tiny drum with his right hand, the other bestowing grace, holding fire in one left hand, while the other pointed to his bent leg trampling on Apasmara, his matted locks swirling in all directions, the Ganga and crescent moon adorning his flying hair... thus danced the Lord of the Universe, his dance of joy." When Shiva finished dancing, the sages asked another boon of him - that he should perform his thandavam eternally in this sthala. Shiva agreed and told them that they too would be with him when he danced in Thillai. So it is believed that in Thillai, not only is Shiva in an eternal state of ananda thandavam, but also all the gods and the sages, with him, worshipping him. When you worship Nataraja, you worship them too.