Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple: Madras HC Forms 5-Member Management Board

Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple Latest News

The Madras High Court recently appointed a five-member Board of Management to take charge of the Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple, citing alleged “maladministration” by the Podhu Dikshitars, a hereditary community of priests who had been entrusted with the temple’s administration by the Supreme Court in 2014.

About Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple

• The Great Chidambaram Temple, also known as the Thillai Nataraja Temple or Sri Sabanayagar Temple, is a Hindu temple located in the temple town of Chidambaram in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
• It is dedicated to Nataraja, the cosmic dance form of Lord Shiva.  

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Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple History

• Historical evidence suggests a Shiva shrine existed at the site well before the 7th century AD, when the town was referred to as Thillai. 
• The Chola dynasty, who revered Nataraja as their family deity, significantly contributed to the temple’s construction and enhancement during the 10th century. 
• It was during this period that the Chola king, Parantaka I, established the temple’s golden roof. 
• Notable rulers such as Rajaraja Chola I, Kulothunga Chola I, Kundavai II, the daughter of Rajaraja Chola, and Vikrama Chola made considerable offerings to the shrine during its flourishing era. 
• Following the 10th century, the temple underwent various phases of damage, repair, renovation, and expansion throughout the 2nd millennium. 
• The majority of the temple’s existing layout, architectural features, and structural elements date back to the late 12th and early 13th centuries, with subsequent additions made in a similar architectural style. 
• Over the years, numerous kingdoms, including the Viyanagara Rulers, Madurai Nayakas, Maharaja of Pudukkottai, Sethupathy, and even the British, have made donations to the temple.  
• The Podhu Dikshidars, a hereditary community of priests, have been managing the temple for centuries, unlike most of the other famous and historic temples.

Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple Architecture

• Covering an expansive area of 40 acres, the temple stands as a remarkable testament to the brilliance of Chola architecture. 
• This site holds considerable scientific significance, as it is positioned at the world’s Magnetic Equator. 
• The temple complex is embedded inside four prakarams (courtyards), each surrounded by walls. 
• There are nine prominent gopurams that link the various courtyards. 
• The innermost structures, including the sanctum and the shrines, are designed with square layouts, and the roof of the sanctum sanctorum is adorned with gold plates. 
• The temple’s wall carvings depict all 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra, authored by Bharata Muni, which serve as the foundational postures for Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form. 
• The temple comprises five principal Halls or Sabhas: the Kanaka Sabha, the Chit Sabha, the Nritta Sabha, the Deva Sabha, and the Raja Sabha. 

News: DH