Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
தில்லை நடராஜர் கோயில்
A thousand-year-old temple dedicated to Shiva as the Lord of the Dance, whose four gateway towers are carved with 108 dance poses, and one of the most sacred temples in South India.
The Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram is dedicated to Shiva as Nataraja, the Lord of the Cosmic Dance. The core sanctum is roofed in gold by the Chola dynasty. The four gopuram gateway towers are carved with the 108 poses of Bharatanatyam, and the temple also has a Thousand Pillar Hall and a sacred tank. Strict rules apply inside: men must remove their shirts to enter the inner sanctum, some areas are closed to non-Hindus, shoes must be removed, and there are set opening hours. The temple is about 65 km from Puducherry and can be combined with the Pichavaram Mangrove Forest in a day trip.
Opening hours
Approx. 6:00 AM–12:00 PM and 5:00–10:00 PM
Nearby sights
- Pichavaram Mangrove Forest
- Paradise Beach (Plage Paradiso)
- Eden Beach (Blue Flag)
- Arikamedu
- Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Botanical Garden, Puducherry
- Our Lady of Angels Church
- White Town (French Quarter)