Chidambaram taluk is a taluk of Cuddalore district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The headquarters of the taluk is the town of Chidambaram.Chidambaram is one of the many temple towns in the state which is named after the grooves, 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 (Exocoeria agallocha) that grow here and the nearby Pichavaram wetlands.[ citation needed ]
The site became the capital of Cholas in the 10th century, and they renamed it to Chidambaram and built the current temple for their family deity of Nataraja Shiva.[ citation needed ] The word Chidambaram comes from the Tamil word Chitrambalam (also spelled Chithambalam) meaning "wisdom atmosphere". The roots are citt or chitthu, meaning, "consciousness or wisdom", and ampalam, meaning "atmosphere". This composite word comes from its association with Shiva Nataraja, the cosmic dancer and the cultural atmosphere for arts.The word Chidambaram is translated by James Lochtefeld as "clothed in thought".[ citation needed ]
According to the 2011 census, the taluk of Chidambaram had a population of 469,416 with 236,170 males and 233,246 females. There were 988 women for every 1,000 men. The taluk had a literacy rate of 75.15%. Child population in the age group below 6 was 23,599 Males and 21,446 Females. [1]
Nataraja also known as Adalvallan is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called the tandava. The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the Tevaram and Thiruvasagam in Tamil and the Amshumadagama and Uttarakamika agama in Sanskrit and the Grantha texts. The dance murti featured in all major Hindu temples of Shaivism, and is a well-known sculptural symbol in India and popularly used as a symbol of Indian culture, as one of the finest illustrations of Hindu art. This form is also referred to as Kuththan, Sabesan, and Ambalavanan in various Tamil texts.
Chidambaram is a town and municipality in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Vellar River where it meets the Bay of Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Chidambaram taluk. The town is believed to be of significant antiquity and has been ruled, at different times, by the Pallavas until ninth century, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Later Pandyas, Vijayanagara Empire, Thanjavur Nayakas, Marathas and the British. The town is known for the Thillai Nataraja Temple and Thillai Kali Temple, and the annual chariot festival held in the months of December–January and June to July. One of the Divya Desams Divya Sri Govindaraja Perumal Temple (Thiruchitrakoodam) is a part of Thillai Nataraja Temple complex. Thiruvetkalam Shiva Temple, Vadakiruppu, Thirunelvayil Shiva Temple, Sivapuri and Tirukkazhippalai Palvannanathar Temple are the other three ancient Shiva temples in the region.
Panruti is a developing city, municipality and taluk headquarters of Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Panruti is located between Cuddalore and Neyveli. Panruti is famous for jackfruits and cashew nuts. The jackfruit grown here is exported worldwide and is very sweet. It is a business capital of Cuddalore district. Kananchavadi one of the villages in panruti taluk, famous for palm juice. It has been a great commercial area for more than 200 years. The name Panruti came from the Tamil words "Pann" and "Urutti" meaning "composing song and music", as the place is where many saints and great religious singers such as nayanmars and vainavas sung. A 150-year-old government school was built here by the British East India Company and a more-than-1000-year-old temple Veerattaneswarar temple is nearby in Thiruvathigai. As of 2011, the town had a population of 60,323.
Porur is a neighbourhood of Chennai, India. It is situated in the Maduravoyal taluk of Chennai district in the southern part of the city. Since 2011, it has been a part of the Chennai Corporation and included in zone number 11.
Palani (Tamil: [paɻani] or Palnias in British records, is a town and a taluk headquarters in Dindigul district of the western part of Tamil Nadu state in India. It is located about 106 kilometres south-east of Coimbatore and 122 kilometres north-west of Madurai, 67 kilometres from Kodaikanal. The Palani Murugan Temple or Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Murugan is situated on a hill overlooking the town. The temple is visited by more than 7 million pilgrims each year. As of 2011, the town had a population of 126,751 which makes it the second largest town in the district after Dindigul.
Kanniyakumari district is one of the 38 districts in Tamil Nadu state and the southernmost district in mainland India. It stands second in terms of population density among the districts of Tamil Nadu. It is also the richest district in Tamil Nadu in terms of per capita income, and also tops the state in Human Development Index (HDI), literacy, and education. The district's headquarters is Nagercoil.
Kodumudi is a panchayat town and taluk headquarters of Kodumudi taluk in erode district at state of Tamil Nadu, India. Kodumudi has an average elevation of 144 metres (472 feet). Also Kodumudi is an tourism spot. The holy Kaveri river and Magudeswarar temple in Kodumudi attracts thousands of pilgrims daily across South India.
Lalgudi is a town in Tiruchirapalli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The town of Lalgudi heads the Lalgudi taluk, Lalgudi division, Lalgudi Educational District, Lalgudi DSP and Lalgudi Constituency.
Thirunageswaram is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thirunageswaram is located 6 km east of Kumbakonam. It is the suburban region of business city of Kumbakonam.
Thiruvidaimarudur is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The town is notable for its Mahalingeshwarar Temple, a Hindu shrine for Lord Shiva.
Bhuvanagiri is a Taluka in the Cuddalore district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the birthplace of a South Indian saint, Sri Raghavendra Swami and is close to Maruthur, the birthplace of Saint Ramalinga Adigalar.
Thillai Nataraja Temple, also referred as 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 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.
Tirukoilur also spelt as Tirukkoyilur or Tirukovilur is a city and the headquarters of Tirukoilur taluk in Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu, India. The town is located on the southern bank of Thenpennai River and famous for Ulagalantha Perumal TempleTirukoilur is located on the highway connecting cities of Tiruvannamalai and Vellore with Southern Tamil Nadu. The town is served by Tirukoilur railway station.
Thillai Kali Temple is a Hindu Temple located on the outskirts of the town of Chidambaram, Cuddalore District Tamil Nadu in India. It was built by Chola King Kopperunjingan who ruled between 1229 and 1278.
Sattainathar temple, Sirkazhi is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Sirkali, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. It is an ancient temple complex with three different Shiva shrines in three stories.
Iconography of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu is governed by the Shaiva Agamas (IAST:Āgama) that revere the ultimate reality as the Hindu deity, Shiva. Āgama in the Hindu religious context means a traditional doctrine or system which commands faith. Temple worship according to Āgamic rules can be said to have started during the Pallava dynasty in South India, but they were fully under establishment during the Chola dynasty The temples during the Chola period expanded to Sri Lanka and islands in South East Asia. The temple complex was expanding with niches for various deities on the stipulated sides of the sanctum. Lingam was universalised and prakarams (precincts) with subsequent deities came up. The temple parivara expanded considerably during the Chola period. The niches of following Āgamic rules for building Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, a South Indian state continues even in the modern era. Some of the prime images like that of lingam, Vinayagar and Parvati are present in all the Shiva temples. Almost all the temples follow the same custom during festivals and worship methods with minor exceptions. Most of the Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka are built in Dravidian architecture.
Sathyagireeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Senganur in the Thiruvidaimarudur taluk of Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The historical name of the place is Seignalur.
The Govindaraja Perumal Temple, also called Thiruchitrakoodam, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, situated in Chidambaram, a town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple is inside the premises of the Thillai Nataraja Temple, constructed in the Dravidian architecture. The temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Govindaraja Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Pundarikavalli Thayar.
Margabandeesvarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at Sirupuliyur in the Nannilam taluk of Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, India.
Nava Puliyur Temples are the nine Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, that are connected with Puliyur.
Coordinates: 11°24′N79°42′E / 11.4°N 79.7°E