Chidambaram and in specific Thillai Nataraja
Temple was in my bucket list since few years.
Just a simple disclaimer to my reader, I am neither a devotee nor a
person who prefers pilgrimage trips and to be frank I am more an Atheist. But
since the past few years my interest towards Ancient and Medieval Indian
temples has increased, especially the Art, Architecture, Sculpture and Paintings
associated with these temples and visualizing the sociological impacts these
extraordinary marvels would have created or intended. So this blog post will be
of no use to a spiritual seeker.
Expectations
I was
very much interested in the Siva Sculpture in Tandava dance form, who is also
the principal deity, 4 stunning Gopurams (Gatehouse Towers) and the wall
inscriptions.
Travel Plans
It’s a
family trip with 6 members and my 8 months old daughter. We booked an Innova
from Pondicherry (actually I reside here now). Our plan is to start by 07.30AM
in the morning, visit the temple and while returning had plans to go boating in
Pichavaram wetlands.
Chidambaram
Temple
We
reached Chidambaram at 10.15 in the morning. There is provision for parking car
outside the temple. The first banner we noticed was from the police department
warning with portraits of chain snatchers and pick-pockets. The vendors
insisted us to buy “Agal Vilaku” (Mud Lamp) telling us that it is special for
the day (we went on Friday). However, the tables to light these lamps are just outside
the main temple shrine, in the verandah once you enter the east gopuram.
No doubt the temple is an architectural marvel.
There are 4 Gopurams, of which the east gopuram depicts all the 108 postures from
Natya Sastra from which Bharatanatyam has evolved. There is a sacred pool near
the north gopuram and it is called Sivaganga. The pillared courtyards inside
the temple remains us how these places might have been used for dance and drama
performances and the pilgrims would have also used them to rest during their
pilgrimage. The temple also hosts deities of Saktism and Vaishnavism . It is an
interesting example of how the Chola Kings who usually revered Saivism also
included Vaishnavism in their urban centers. It is also said that the
Vaishanava deity was taken away to Tirupathi during Kulothunuga Chola reign and
was brought and later reinstalled by Vijayanagar Kings. Another historical fact
is that the Delhi Sultans under Malik Kafur (watched Padmavathy?) raided the
temple and looted bounty of gold and took back to Delhi.
Present
Status of the Temple
Despite having a rich history, I was
surprised and quite worried by the way it is managed now. The temple complex
actually runs like a business with priest or you can call young trainee priests
working as marketing managers. To me following were the surprising incidents/issues
in the temple,
Costly Blank
Paper Ticket: The principal deity is in a garbagraha placed in an elevated sanctum.
Devotees usually stand below the elevated structure. However if one need to see
the deity in close quarters and make special darshana, then there is a
provision to take special ticket and climb up the elevated sanctum from the
sideways. Actually I was interested to watch the Siva sculpture in Tandava
dance form and also the “Kaala Kadikaram”. We paid Rs.100 for each ticket for 6
of us and the priests just gave a white chit paper which had nothing other than
the number 6 or something like that which I don’t remember. Is there any
accountability for the money collected? Why not a receipt? Also all those with
ticket were sent together, so only the few who first entered get the option to stand
close. So I would say that it is just waste of money and time. It is
comfortably better to watch from down which the local devotees were doing when
we foolishly went up. Neither had I view to watch the sculpture nor the Kaala
Kadigaaram.
Marketing
Priests:
Once we came down, the priests asked us to donate (like membership) to get Prasad
by post during important ceremonies. In multiple places, whenever we tried to
talk/enquire to priests they always enquired us for the same. Unlike other
temples, here they are almost trying to sell, if I have to put it in other
words.
Snack/Prasad
Shop:
There is a snack shop inside the temple. Laddu, Muruku etc., are sold. They are
costly than even the A2B sweets. But the quality is so poor. We just had to
dispose everything. So never ever buy inside.
Temple
Inscription: I read about the temple inscription before going, but as it is a
big complex I was not able to find the inscriptions. After searching for some
time, I found them at the west entrance. Quite surprisingly the young priests
had no idea what is inscribed in it when enquired. They said it is about god
and the prayers. I don’t blame them, but it will be great if they are taught
the historical values of the temple. So not just they share it with tourists,
but will also maintain them properly.
Overall
Experience
Over
all it didn’t meet my expectations, probably due to the bad series of
incidents. I expected it equivalent to Tanjore and Madurai but to surprise it was
not on par with them.
Reference:
