85-425: (Redirected from Avviyar ) Avvaiyar , Avviyar , or Auvaiyar is a Tamil title. It may refer to: Avvaiyar (Sangam poet) , a 1st-century BCE poet Avvaiyar (8th-century poet) , an 8th-century poet Avvaiyar (12th-century poet) , a 12th-century poet Avvaiyar (film) , a 1953 Indian film by Kothamangalam Subbu Avviyar (crater) , a crater on Venus named for
170-473: A 14:10:3 ratio, about 42.7 metres (140 ft) high, 30.5 metres (100 ft) wide and 9.1 metres (30 ft) deep. Each gopuram is colorful and unique in its own ways. They narrate stories from various Hindu texts, showing religious and secular scenes from the various Hindu traditions. This art is presented in each gopuram with anthropomorphic figure panels and about fifty niches with stone sculptures in every gopuram. The scenes include multiple panels about
255-591: A Shivalinga, rather it has the Chit Sabha (consciousness gathering, also called chit ambalam ) with an image of Shiva Nataraja. This introspective empty space has a curtained space that is 3.5 meter long and 1.5 meter wide. It is called the rahasya (secret) in Hindu texts. It consists of two layers, one red, the other black. According to George Michell, this is a symbolism in Hinduism of "enlightenment inside, illusion outside". It
340-483: A beautiful girl that seduces (Mohini) respectively. Another set of frescoes are secular depicting temple festivities and daily life of people, while a stretch narrates the story of Hindu saints named Manikkavachakar and Mukunda. The shrine had artwork narrating the Devi Mahatmya , a classic Sanskrit text of Shaktism tradition. However, in 1972, these were removed given their dilapidated state. These were replaced with
425-523: A different story. Other parts of the paintings and shrine also show great damage. The sanctum of the Shivakama Sundari shrine is dedicated to Devi, where she is Shiva's knowledge ( jnana shakti ), desire ( iccha sakti ), action ( kriya sakti ) and compassion ( karuna sakti ). The oldest Shivakama Sundari sculpture at the site representing these aspects of the goddess has been dated to the king Parantaka I period, about 950 CE. The Nataraja temple has
510-410: A long rectangular space. The shrine has its own walls and an entrance gateway (gopura). Inside is the dedicated mandapas and brightly colored frescoes likely from the 17th-century Vijayanagara period. These narrate the story of Shiva and Vishnu together challenging the "learned sages, ascetics and their wives" in the forest, by appearing in the form of a beautiful beggar that dances (bhikshatanamurti) and
595-564: A major Coromandel Coast trading group by the early 17th century, a region to which Chidambaram belonged. The Portuguese began building forts, garrison and churches in Coromandel Coast region after the demise of Vijayanagara, triggering the intervention of the French and the British. By the mid-17th century, the temple complex was within the patronage of Nayakas, who repaired the temple and repainted
680-465: A mission to recover the hymns of the 63 Nayanmars after hearing short excerpts of the Tevaram in his court. He sought the help of Nambiyandar Nambi , who was a priest in a temple. It is believed that by divine intervention Nambi found the presence of scripts, in the form of cadijam leaves half eaten by white ants in a chamber inside the second precinct in the temple. The brahmanas ( Dikshitars ) in
765-482: A pilgrim road network in and around Chidambaram. He constructed a hall for recitation of Tevaram hymns and engraved the hymns in copper plates. The thousand pillar choultry , with friezes narrating Hindu texts, was built in the late 12th century. Between the second half of the 12th century and the early 13th century, the Chola kings added colorful and high gopura stone gateways as easily identifiable landmarks, starting with
850-585: A posture that Kali refused because she was a woman. The hall is rectangular consisting of three stacked squares, a 15-meter-sided square that is the main hall, which is connected to 4 meters by 8 meters rectangular mukha-mandapa to its north. The hall now has 50 pillars, but evidence suggests that it may have had 56 or more pillars earlier. These pillars are intricately carved from top to bottom. The lower levels have dancers in Natya Shastra mudras accompanied with expressive musicians as if both are enjoying creating
935-436: A pre-13th-century Surya shrine. The image is unusual as it depicts a three headed Surya same as Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, with eight hands holding iconographic items of these deities, along with two lotuses in a pair of hands in front, accompanied by two small female figures possibly Usha and Pratyusha, standing on a chariot drawn by seven horses and Aruna as charioteer. The temple also has a significant shrine for Ganesha in
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#17330857637841020-460: A rationale in the relative sequence and position of the artwork with respect to each other and on various levels, but this is unclear and a subject of disagreement among scholars. The earliest built western gopuram is the only one with inscriptions below each artwork that identifies what it is. The artwork on it includes Durga fighting the evil, shape shifting buffalo demon and Skanda sitting on peacock and dressed up for war. Other artwork found on
1105-538: A very strong substratum of Vaishnava traditions". This historic inclusiveness is reflected in Chidambaram with Vishnu Govindaraja in the same sanctum home by the side of Nataraja. After the turmoil of the 14th century when the temple was attacked and looted, there was period when some priests sought to restore only Shaiva iconography according to extant Portuguese Jesuit records. However, the Vijayanagara rulers insisted on
1190-501: Is a "so-called 56-pillared" hall. It is in the south section of the second courtyard that circumambulates the Nataraja sanctum of the complex. This second courtyard is near the temple's flag mast ( kodi maram or dwaja sthambam ). The 13th-century Nritta Sabha is traditionally considered as the place where Shiva and Kali originally entered into a dance competition. Shiva won with the urdhva-tandava pose that raised his right leg straight up,
1275-439: Is an ancient Hindu art concept. It is found in various texts such as Tatva Nidhi which describes seven types of dance and their spiritual symbolism, Kashyapa Silpa which describes 18 dance forms with iconographic details and design instructions, as well as Bharata's ancient treatise on performance arts Natya Shastra which describes 108 dance postures among other things. Reliefs and sculptures of Nataraja have been found across
1360-747: Is an image of Avvaiyar. By tradition, this is stated to be the spot where the great poet left the mortal world. In 1991, a 20.6 km-wide crater in Venus was named the Avviyar crater by the International Astronomical Union . Her quote " கற்றது கைமண் அளவு, கல்லாதது உலகளவு " has been translated as "What you have learned is a mere handful; What you haven't learned is the size of the world" and included in NASA 's Cosmic Questions Exhibit. Chidambaram temple Thillai Nataraja Temple , also referred as
1445-542: Is credited to king Koperunsingan II (1243-1279 CE) as per epigraphical records and was repaired with support from a woman named Subbammal in the late 18th century. The northern gopuram was repaired and finished by the Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya (1509-1530 CE) in the 16th century. The eastern and northern gopura also depicts the wide range of narratives as the southern and western gopuram. The idols of Pachaiappa Mudaliar and his wife Iyalammal have been sculpted on
1530-609: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Avvaiyar (Sangam poet) Avvaiyar ( Tamil : ஔவையார்) was a Tamil poet who lived during the Sangam period and is said to have had cordial relations with the Tamil chieftains Vēl Pāri and Athiyamān . She wrote 59 poems in the Puṟanāṉūṟu . A plaque on a statue of the poet in Chennai suggests
1615-465: Is how this temple started, according to the mahatmya embedded in the Tamil Sthalapurana . According to Kulke, the late medieval text Chidambaramahatmya may reflect a process of Sanskritisation, where these North Indian named sages with Vedic links became incorporated into regional temple mythology. According to a Hindu legend, once Shiva and his consort Parvati wanted to judge who among them
1700-659: Is located in the southeastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north of the Kollidam River (Kaveri), 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west from the coast of Bay of Bengal, and 220 kilometres (140 mi) south of Chennai . The closest major airport is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) north in Pondicherry ( IATA : PNY). The National Highway 32 (old numbering: NH-45A) passes through Chidambaram. The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and private companies operate services connecting it to major cities in
1785-574: Is one of the Nava Puliyur Temples worshipped by Patanjali and Vyaghrapada. The other temples are Thirupathiripuliyur , Erukathampuliyur , Omampuliyur , Sirupuliyur , Atthippuliyur , Thaplampuliyur , Perumpuliyur and Kanattampuliyur . The temple as it stands had a pre-Chola existence and the architecture is a combination of Chola and Pandyan architecture with the Sanctum Sanctorum closely resembling Kerala style structures. Indeed,
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#17330857637841870-470: Is referred to as "Pon veinda Perumal", which means "one who covered with gold" the Chit-sabha of Chidambaram. Both Aditya I and his Chola successor Parantaka I were active supporters of arts and temple building. They converted many older brick and wooden temples into more lasting temples from cut stone as the building blocks in dozens of places across South India. Raja Raja Chola I (985–1013 CE) embarked on
1955-576: Is replaced on the tenth day of the main festivals. The Chidambaram Rahasya is the "formless" representation of Shiva as the metaphysical Brahman in Hinduism, sometimes explained as akasha linga and divine being same as Self ( Atman ) that is everywhere, in everything, eternally. Facing the Chit Sabha is the Kanaka Sabha (also called pon ambalam ), or the gathering of dancers. These two sanctum spaces are connected by five silver gilded steps called
2040-555: Is the story of the Avvaiyar and the Naaval ( Jambu ) tree. Avvaiyar, believing she had achieved everything that is to be achieved, was pondering her retirement from Tamil literary work while resting under a Naaval tree. She was then met by a disguised Murugan (regarded as one of the guardian deities of the Tamil language; the god of war, victory, and knowledge), who jousted with her wittily. He later revealed himself and made her realise that there
2125-477: Is translated by James Lochtefeld as "clothed in thought". The town and temple name appears in medieval Hindu texts by various additional names such as Kovil (lit. "the temple"), Pundarikapuram, Vyagrapuram, Sirrampuram, Puliyur and Chitrakuta. Additional names for Chidambaram in Pallava era and North Indian texts include Kanagasabainathar, Ponnambalam, Brahmastpuri and Brahmapuri. The Nataraja temple in Chidambaram
2210-413: Is where the demon Andhaka was killed by Lord Shiva. Sangam epics recount that it was here that Avvayar was blessed with a vision of her lord slaying Andhaka and she has dedicated verses to the same. At great ancient temple of Thillai Chidambaram she sang Vinayakar Thiruakaval when Lord Ganesha displayed his dancing form to her. Vinayakar Thiruakaval is an extremely esoteric work. It is said that Avvaiyar
2295-573: The Chera , Chola and the Pandya kings. Avvai then made an invocation to Ganesha for making the invitation on a palmyra leaf, on which Ganesha appeared before her. On receiving the invitation the kings from the three kingdoms come to the wedding ceremony and gave Angavay and Sangavay away in marriage. (pp. 57–59). In Muppandal , a small village in the Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu . there
2380-525: The Chidambaram Nataraja Temple , is a Hindu temple dedicated to Nataraja , the form of Shiva as the lord of dance. This temple is located in Chidambaram , Tamil Nadu , India . This temple has ancient roots and a Shiva shrine existed at the site when the town was known as Thillai. Chidambaram, the name of the city literally means "stage of consciousness". The temple architecture symbolizes
2465-410: The Sangam tradition, suggest a temple existed here along with Madurai in ancient times, but the town is not named Chidambaram in these pre-5th-century texts. The earliest mention of "dancing god of Chidambaram" as Shiva is found in 6th- and early-7th-century texts by Appar and Sambadar. The Suta Samhita embedded inside Sri Kanda Puranam and variously dated between 7th and 10th century mentions
2550-612: The Sokkaseeyan Thirunilai Ezhugopuram was constructed by a Pandya king identified from the presence of the dynasty's fish emblem sculpted on the ceiling. The Pandyas sculpted two fishes facing each other when they completed gopurams (and left it with one fish, in case it was incomplete). Other artwork found on the southern gopuram include Chandesha, Ganapati, Vishnu, Sridevi (Lakshmi), several Devis, Brahma, Saraswati, Surya, Chandra, Durga, Indra, Agni, several rishis , Ganga and Yamuna goddesses, Kama and Rati, Budha,
2635-565: The Tirumurai . In another version of the story, Rajaraja is said to have experienced a dream from lord Shiva telling Rajaraja that the hymns in Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram are in a state of destruction and to recover the remaining hymns from the chambers. The brahmanas ( Dikshitars ) in the temple, however, are supposed to have disagreed with the king by saying that the works were too divine to be accessed, and that only by
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2720-608: The panchakshara . The ceiling of the Chit Sabha is made of wooden pillars coated with gold, while copper coats the Kanaka Sabha is copper colored. The Nataraja temple complex incorporates Vaishnava themes and images like many Hindu temples in South India. A Vishnu shrine is found inside the sanctum of the temple in its southwest corner. According to George Michell and others, Chola kings revered Shiva, with Tyagaraja and Nataraja as their family deity. Yet, their urban Shaiva centers "echo
2805-420: The 100 pillared and 1,000 pillared halls, inscriptions and frescoes narrating Hindu legends about gods, goddesses, saints and scholars. The Nataraja Temple complex is embedded inside four prakarams (courtyards). Each courtyard has walls that were defensively fortified after the 14th-century plunder and destruction. The outermost wall around the fourth courtyard has four gateways. The walls and gateways of
2890-548: The 12th-century text Chidambara-mahatmya . The central episode states that Shiva visits sages in the mythical forest in the form of a dancer mendicant ( Bhikshatana ) accompanied by Mohini , Vishnu in his avatar as a beautiful woman. Mohini triggers lustful interest of the sages, while Shiva performs Tandava dance that triggers the carnal interest of the wives of these sages. The sages ultimately realise how superficial their austerities have been. The episode becomes widely known. Two sages named Patanjali (also called Sesha-bodied in
2975-553: The 1320s. However, when the news of another invasion spread in Tamil lands, the community removed them into the Western Ghats or buried numerous sculptures and treasures in the land and concealed chambers underneath temples sites before the Muslim armies reached them. A large number of these were rediscovered in archaeological excavations at the site in and after 1979, including those in Chidambaram. According to Nagaswamy, those who buried
3060-476: The 13th century. This has made the gopurams difficult to place chronologically, yet useful in scholarly studies of the history of the Nataraja temple. All gopurams are built of precisely cut large stone blocks all the way to the main cornice. Upon this is a stone, brick and plaster structure with layers of pavilions. Above these talas (storeys) is a South Indian style barrel vaulted roof, crowned with thirteen kalasa finials. All of them are similar in size with
3145-410: The Chidambaram dance. Likely following the temple architecture tradition that is found all over South India from at least the 5th century when many older brick and wooden temples were being replaced by more lasting temples from cut stone as the building blocks in dozens of places across South India. The surviving Nataraja temple has a structure that is traceable to the early Chola Dynasty . Chidambaram
3230-436: The Chola dynasty rule through mid-13th century, along with the later Shiva-based Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram capitals, as well as Vishnu-based Srirangam temple towns. Its facilities infrastructure was expanded. Naralokaviran, the general of king Kulothunga Chola I was responsible for building the steps that lead to Sivaganga water pool, a goddess shrine, a shrine for child saint Thirugnana Sambanthar, temple gardens and
3315-563: The Cholas who considered Nataraja as their family deity, the temple has been damaged, repaired, renovated and expanded through the 2nd millennium. Most of the temple's surviving plan, architecture and structure is from the late 12th and early 13th centuries, with later additions in similar style. While Shiva as Nataraja is the primary deity of the temple, it reverentially presents major themes from Shaktism , Vaishnavism , and other traditions of Hinduism. The Chidambaram temple complex, for example, has
3400-562: The East, South, West and North. The first edition of the four gopuram superstructures were likely built between 1150 and 1300 CE. The earliest was likely the western gopuram, which is also the smaller of the four. This is generally dated to about 1150 CE. The eastern gopura was likely completed by about 1200 CE, southern gopura by the mid-13th century, while the northern was added in the late 13th century. The four high gopurams were destroyed, rebuilt, repaired, enlarged and redecorated several times after
3485-630: The Govindaraja temple in Tirupati dating back to saint Ramanuja of the 11th and 12th centuries. The main Devi shrine in the Nataraja temple complex is offset towards the north of the sanctum inside the third prakara, and found to the west of the Shivaganga pool. It is called the Shivakama Sundari shrine, dedicated to Parvati. The temple faces east and has an embedded square plan, though the stacked squares created
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3570-615: The Indian peninsula for loot and to establish annual tribute agreement between the kingdoms and the Sultanate. The records left by the court historians of the Delhi Sultanate state that Malik Kafur raided Chidambaram , Srirangam , Madurai and other Tamil towns, destroyed the temples, and the Nataraja temple was one of the sources of gold and jewels booty he brought back to Delhi. The temple towns of Tamil Nadu were again targeted for loot in
3655-504: The Indian subcontinent, some dating to the 6th century and earlier such as in Aihole and Badami cave temples . The earliest historically verifiable Shiva temple at Chidambaram is traceable in inscriptions that date to the rule of Aditya Chola I in the early 10th century, and far more during the rule of the 10th-century Chola king Parantaka Chola I . For them, the dancing Shiva was the kula-nayaka (family guide or deity) and Chidambaram
3740-599: The Sangam period poet See also [ edit ] Avva , a name Avva (film) , a 2008 Indian film Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Avvaiyar . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Avvaiyar&oldid=1232956821 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
3825-440: The Shivaganga sacred pool is the largest with a rectangular plan. The temple complex is dedicated to Nataraja Shiva and theological ideas associated with Shaivism concepts in Hinduism. However, the temple also includes shrines for Devi, Vishnu, Subrahmanyar, Ganesha, Nandi and others including an Amman shrine, a Surya shrine complete with Chariot wheels. The plan has numerous gathering halls called sabha , two major choultry called
3910-462: The Tamil heritage and language. While on a visit to Ceylon , Avvai was caught up in torrential rain, and took shelter in the house of two women of lower caste, Angavay and Sangavay. These women took care of Avvai with great kindness and the poet promised that they would be given in marriage to the King of Tirucovalur . On hearing this the King agreed to take the women in marriage if they were given away by
3995-463: The Vedic sages such as Narada, Pantanjali, Somaskanda legend, Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati), Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva), several forms of dancing and standing Shiva such as Pashupata, Kiratarjuna and Lingobhava, as well as others. The eastern gopuram features the 108 reliefs of Natya Shastra dance postures (22 cm each in a separate niche) and faces the sanctum. The eastern gopuram
4080-401: The arrival of the 63 Nayanmars would they allow for the chambers to be opened. Rajaraja, devising a plan, consecrated idols of each of them and prepared for them to be brought into the temple through a procession. It is said that the 63 idols are still present in the Thillai Nataraja Temple . When the vault was opened, Rajaraja is said to have found the room infested with white ants, and that
4165-535: The branches of knowledge, as if he had hollowed a mustard seed, and enclosed all the waters of the seven seas in it. [Emphasis in original] On hearing this, Avvaiyar remarked to him that it would be more appropriate to liken the Kural text to an atom, which is even smaller than a mustard seed. Both Idaikaadar and Avvaiyar's remarks appear as the last two verses of the Tiruvalluva Maalai . A popular legend in Tamil
4250-672: The co-consecration in 1370 CE, about the time Vijayanagara Empire conquered Chidambaram and northern Tamil lands from the Madurai Sultanate. The current shrine, states Michell, is from 1539 financed by king Achyutaraya and it features a reclining figure of Vishnu. The Govindaraja shrine is one of the 108 holy temples of Vishnu called divyadesam , revered by the 7th-to-9th-century saint poets of Vaishnava tradition, Alwars . Kulashekhara Alwar mentions this temple as Tillai Chitrakutam and equates Chitrakuta of Ramayana fame with this shrine. The shrine has close connections with
4335-468: The connection between the arts and spirituality, creative activity and the divine. The temple wall carvings display all the 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni, and these postures form a foundation of Bharatanatyam , an Indian classical dance. The present temple was built in the 10th century when Chidambaram was the capital of the Chola dynasty. After its 10th-century consecration by
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#17330857637844420-438: The current temple for their family deity of Nataraja Shiva. The word Chidambaram comes from the Tamil word Chitrambalam (also spelled Chithambalam ) meaning "wisdom atmosphere". The roots are citt or chitthu means "consciousness or wisdom", while ampalam means "atmosphere". This composite word comes from its association with Shiva Nataraja, the cosmic dancer and the cultural atmosphere for arts. The word Chidambaram
4505-575: The ear with his legs. Parvati was not able to perform the feat. Vishnu was Impressed and declared Shiva as the winner. Parvati got angry due to her frustration at her defeat, became Kali at the Thillai Kali temple . According to another Hindu legend, Mahalingaswamy at Thiruvidaimarudur is the centre of all Shiva temples in the region and the Saptha Vigraha moorthis (seven prime deities in all Shiva temples) are located at seven cardinal points around
4590-463: The earliest known Amman or Devi temple in South India, a pre-13th-century Surya shrine with chariot, shrines for Ganesha , Murugan and Vishnu , one of the earliest known Shiva Ganga sacred pool, large mandapas for the convenience of pilgrims ( choultry , ambalam or sabha ) and other monuments. Shiva himself is presented as the Nataraja performing the Ananda Tandava ("Dance of Delight") in
4675-488: The eastern gopuram . The Pachaiappa Trust to date has been responsible for various functions in the temple and also maintain the temple car. The eastern gopuram is renowned for its complete enumeration of 108 poses of Indian classical dance – Bharathanatyam , detailed in small rectangular panels along the passage that leads to the gateway. The temple complex has many shrines, most of which are related to Shaivism , Vaishnavism , and Shaktism . The innermost structures such as
4760-424: The eastern gopuram include Surya, Ganapati, Vishnu, Sridevi (Lakshmi), Tripura Sundari, Brahma, Saraswati, Varuna, Durga, Agni, several rishis , Yamuna goddess, Kama and Rati, Budha, the Vedic sages such as Narada and Agastya, Pantanjali, Somaskanda legend, Ardhanarishvara (half Shiva, half Parvati), Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva), several forms of dancing Shiva and others. The surviving south gopuram called
4845-564: The first century BCE for her birthdate. The name Avvaiyar means a 'respectable good woman', hence a generic title; her personal name is not known. Avvaiyar is considered to be contemporary to poets Paranar , Kabilar and Thiruvalluvar . She is attributed as the author of 7 verses in Naṟṟiṇai , 15 in Kuṟuntokai , 4 in Akanaṉūṟu and 33 in Puṟanāṉūṟu . Legend states that she was a court poet of
4930-459: The fourth courtyard were added in the 16th century by Vijayanagara rulers after they had defeated the Madurai Sultanate, and this outermost layer was heavily fortified by the Nayakas in the 17th century. These face the four large gopurams that are gateways into the third courtyard. These gopurams are also landmarks from afar. Inside the third courtyard, near the northern gopuram, is the Shivaganga tank,
5015-428: The fourth courtyard, outside the walls of the third courtyard walls with the four large gopurams. These were restored or added in by the Vijayanagara rulers in the 16th century. The temple has nine major gopuram gateways connecting the various courtyards. Four of these are huge and colorful, visible from afar, a symbolic and convenient landmark for pilgrims. These gateway towers or gopurams each have 7 storeys facing
5100-406: The frescoes on mandapa ceilings. According to Michell, these restorations likely occurred about 1643 CE during the reign of Shrirangadeva Raya III. According to British reports, Chidambaram temple town had to bear the "brunt of several severe onslaughts" between the French and the British colonial forces several times particularly in the 18th century. The Chidambaram temple legend is contained in
5185-449: The golden hall of the shrine Pon Ambalam . The temple is one of the five elemental lingas in the Shaivism pilgrimage tradition, and considered the subtlest of all Shiva temples ( Kovil ) in Hinduism. It is also a site for performance arts, including the annual Natyanjali dance festival on Maha Shivaratri . Chidambaram is one of the many temple towns in the state which is named after
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#17330857637845270-447: The groves, clusters or forests dominated by a particular variety of a tree or shrub and the same variety of tree or shrub sheltering the presiding deity. The town used to be called Thillai, following Thillaivanam, derived from the mangrove of Tillai trees ( Excoecaria agallocha ) that grow here and the nearby Pichavaram wetlands. The site became the capital of Cholas in the 10th century, and they renamed it to Chidambaram and built
5355-527: The hymns were salvaged as much as possible. The temple, according to inscriptions found in South India and Southeast Asia, was also historic recipient of a precious jewel from the king of Angkor who built the Angkor Wat through Chola king Kulothunga, who submitted it to the temple in 1114 CE. Kulothunga I and his son expanded the Chidambaram Nataraja temple sixfold. Chidambaram temple thrived during
5440-407: The legend of Shiva-Parvati wedding with Brahma, Vishnu, Saraswati and Lakshmi attending, dancing Ganesha, Shiva in his various aspects, Durga in the middle of her war with a demon, Skanda ready for war, seated Nandi, musicians, dancers, farmers, merchants, sadhu in namaste posture, dancing dvarapalas near the vertical center line and others. The artists and architects who built these gopura may have had
5525-649: The mandapas with their pillar carvings, the various shrines with polished granite sculptures, the sacred water pool and the early gopurams are from the 12th and 13th century, attributed to the late Chola and early Pandya kings. In the north, the Indian subcontinent had been conquered by the Delhi Sultanate . Muslim armies had begun raiding central India for plunder by the late 13th century. In 1311, when Sultan Alauddin Khilji ordered his general Malik Kafur and his forces to invade southern Hindu kingdoms, he went deeper into
5610-517: The patronage of Chidambaram and other temple towns. The Delhi Sultan appointed a Muslim governor, who seceded within the few years from the Delhi Sultanate and began the Madurai Sultanate . This Sultanate sought tribute from the temple towns, instead of supporting them. The Muslim Madurai Sultanate was relatively short lived, with Hindu Vijayanagara Empire removing it in the late 14th century. The Vijayanagara rulers restored, repaired and expanded
5695-677: The re-consecration of all historic traditions. The temple inscriptions confirm that Vishnu was included along with Shiva in the temple's earliest version, and was reinstalled when the temple was reopened by the Vijayanagara kings. Some texts from the time of king Kulottunga II give conflicting reports, wherein the Shaiva texts state that the king removed the Vishnu image while Vaishnava texts state that they took it away and installed it in Tirupati, sometime about 1135 CE. The scholar Vedanta Desika re-established
5780-632: The royal charters mention the rebuilding of the Sanctum using architects from Kerala. However, the golden roof is a striking example of Vesara architecture with its apsidal shape. Two small structures called the Chit Sabha and Kanak Sabha form the crux of the vast architectural complex. The temple is spread over a 40-acre (16 ha) area, within layers of concentric courtyards. The inner sanctum, its connecting mandapams and pillared halls near it are all either squares or stacked squares or both. The complex has nine gopurams, several water storage structures of which
5865-573: The rulers of the Tamil country. She travelled from one part of the country to another and from one village to another, sharing the gruel of the poor farmers and composing songs for their enjoyment. Most of her songs were about a small-time chieftain Vallal Athiyamaan Nedumaan Anji and his family. The chieftain had also used her as his ambassador to avert war with another neighbouring chieftain Thondaiman . The rest of her songs related to
5950-426: The sanctum and the shrines, all have square plans, but the gateways do not align except the innermost two courtyards. The sanctum of the temple is set inside the innermost 1st prakara which is a square with about 44 metres (144 ft) side. This prakara is offset towards the west inside the 2nd prakara, which is also a square with about 105 metres (344 ft) side. The Shiva sanctum is unusual as it does not have
6035-450: The south for his connection to Vishnu) and Vyaghrapada (also called Tiger-footed sage) want to see the repeat performance of this "dance of bliss" in the Thaillai forest, Chidambaram. They set up a Shivalinga, pray, meditate and wait. Their asceticism impresses Shiva who appeared before them in Chidambaram and performed "the dance" against "the wall, in the blessed hall of consciousness". This
6120-444: The southwest corner and a Subrahmanyar shrine in the northwest corner of the third courtyard. The temple has many halls called sabha (lit. "community gathering", also called ambalams or sabhai ) inside the complex. Two of these are the Chit Sabha and the Kanaka Sabha inside the sanctum area of the Nataraja shrine, described earlier. The other halls are: Nrithya sabha (also called Nritta Sabha, Natya sabha, or "Hall of Dance")
6205-552: The state. The site is linked to the Indian Railways with daily express trains to South Indian cities. Chidambaram is a temple town, with the Nataraja complex spread over 16 hectares (40 acres) within a nearly square courtyard in the center. Its side roads are aligned to the east–west, north–south axis. It has double walls around its periphery with gardens. It has had entrance gateways on all four sides. The Nataraja temple has ancient roots, early textual evidence, such as those of
6290-505: The temple are supposed to have disagreed with the king by saying that the works were too divine, and that only by the arrival of the "Naalvar" (the four saints)— Appar , Sundarar , Tirugnanasambandar and Manickavasagar would they allow for the chambers to be opened. Rajaraja, however, created idols of them and prepared for them to be brought to the temple through a procession. but Rajaraja is said to have prevailed. Rajaraja thus became known as Tirumurai Kanda Cholan meaning one who saved
6375-512: The temple artworks followed the Hindu Agama texts such as Marici Samhita and Vimanarcanakalpa that recommend ritually burying precious metal murtis as a means of protection when war and robbery is imminent. Over 200 such items have been recovered, including relevant hordes of copper plate inscriptions. The Islamic invasion in the 14th century, states George Michell – a professor and art historian of Indian architecture, brought an abrupt end to
6460-495: The temple through the 16th century, along with many other regional temples. These kings themselves went on pilgrimage to Chidambaram, and gifted resources to strengthen its walls and infrastructure. The destruction of Vijayanagara Empire in the late 16th century by an alliance of Sultanates, followed within a few decades by entrance of Portuguese, French and British colonial interests brought geopolitical uncertainties to Chidambaram and other temple towns. The Portuguese were already
6545-909: The temple, located in various parts of the state. The seven deities are Nataraja in Chidambaram Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram , Chandikeswarar temple at Tirucheingalur , Ganesha in Vellai Vinayagar Temple at Thiruvalanchuzhi , Murugan in Swamimalai Murugan Temple at Swamimalai , Bhairava in Sattainathar Temple at Sirkali , Navagraha in Sooriyanar Temple at Suryanar Kovil , Dakshinamoorthy in Apatsahayesvarar Temple at Alangudi . The temple, also called Perumpatrapuliyur in this context,
6630-518: The thousand pillar mandapam, the Subrahmanyar (Murugan, Kartikeya) shrine and the shrine for Parvati (as Shivakama Sundari). The other three gateways are closer to the sanctum. The four gopurams pilgrims and visitors to enter the temple from all four cardinal directions. The complex is interconnected through a maze of pathways. The courtyard walls and gateways are made from cut stones with some brick structure added in. The gardens and palm groves are in
6715-454: The various aspects of state governance. Although traditions claim that she was a sister of Kabilar, Thiruvalluvar and Athiyamaan, V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar refutes this claim based on his studies that all four of them were most likely of different walks of life, thus from different caste backgrounds and hence impossible to be siblings. Tirukkovilur is an ancient temple town in Tamil Nadu. This
6800-467: The western gopura. Thereafter, about mid 13th century, the Pandya dynasty ended the Chola dynasty. The Hindu Pandyas were liberal supporters of Chidambaram temple, along with other Shiva and Vishnu temples, just like the Chola. Sundara Pandya added the huge eastern gopura at Chidambaram, beginning the colossal gateway tradition. Most of the structure and plans currently seen in the Chidambaram complex, including
6885-637: Was a better dancer, and wanted their sons Ganesha and Murugan to judge their performances. Both of them judged in favour of Parvati, after which Shiva was not satisfied. He wanted Brahma to judge, and the competition was held in Thiruvalangadu . Brahma was still not satisfied, and he wanted Vishnu to judge, and the latter wanted the competition in Tillaivanam. Shiva performed the Urthvathandavam pose of picking his earring with his legs, and wearing them in
6970-605: Was one of the several scholars who were present at the time when Valluvar submitted his masterpiece of the Tirukkural at the Madurai College . Soon after the presentation and the subsequent acceptance by the scholars and the Pandiyan King , Idaikkadar praised Valluvar and the Kural text thus: The Cural contains much in a little compass. Such is the ingenuity of its author, that he has compressed within its narrow limits all
7055-465: Was still a lot more to be done and learned. Another legend has it that once the great king Athiyaman gave an "eternal" gooseberry ( Nellikani in Tamil) fruit to Avvaiyar. It was a special fruit that would bestow on whoever ate it a very long and healthy life. Athiyaman wanted Avvaiyar to eat the eternal fruit as she was the right person who could serve the Tamil community. If she could live forever, so would
7140-523: Was the capital they built. These inscriptions and texts from this period suggest that the significance of the Agama texts and Shaiva Bhakti movement was strengthening within the Chola leadership and thought. The copper plate inscriptions of Parantaka I (c. 907–955 CE) describe him as the "bee at the lotus feet of Shiva" who built the golden house for Shiva, with Chit-sabha, Hema-sabha, Hiranya-sabha and Kanaka-sabha (all mandapam, pillared pilgrim rest places). He
7225-494: Was the early capital of this dynasty, and Shiva Nataraja was their family deity. The Chidambaram temple town remained important to the Cholas , albeit with increasing competition from other temple towns when Rajaraja Chola I moved the capital to Thanjavur , built a new city and the massive Brihadeeswarar Temple dedicated to Shiva in the early 11th century, which is now a world heritage site. Nataraja Shiva and his "dance of bliss"
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