This is located on the northern part of Cholamandalam. The city is known as Tillai. The temple is called Chidambaram. Owing to the popularity of the temple name, the city is referred to the same name. The deity is the famous Nataraja Swami. The temple has several names: Perumpatrapuliyur (due to the dedicated worship offered by Vyaaghrapaada), Chit + Ambaram (Jnana + space) = Chidambaram, Bhuloka kailash, Pundarikapuram etc. The resident devotees, known as Dikshitars, are the officiating priests.The temple represents Akasha (Sky; of the five elements). Among the sabhas, this is Kanakasabha.The deity is referred to as Chidambara Swami, Ambala Koothar, Thiruchitrambala Udayar, Ambala Vaanar, Koothabiran, Kanaka Sabaapati, and Sabhanaayaka. The goddess is Sivakami or Sivakama Sundari. The banyan tree is the sacred tree. There are several sacred ponds associated with this temple – Sivaganga, Brahmananda koopam, Vyaghrapaada tirtham, Brahma tirtha, and Ananda tirtham.There are five sabhas (hall) in this temple: Thiruchitrambalam, Ponnambalam, Perambalam, Nritya Sabha, and Raja Sabha.Chitrambalam : Saint Appar referred to this sabha as Chitrambalam. This is the sabha where Nataraja danced. A superior quality copper plating can be seen. Inscriptions indicate the Paraanthaka Chola gifted gold. The legends associated with the temple mention that Hiranyavarman had donated gold. The sabha is situated on a raised platform. To go up, we have climb five steps representing the Panchaakshara.Ponnambalam : The sabha where abhishekam was performed for Nataraja Swami. It forms the frontal part of Thiruchitrambalam. Here the Linga, made of alum, is worshipped six times in the day. In the second half of dawn, abhishekam is performed on Ratnasabhaapati. According to the legend of Sekkizhar Edankazhinayanar, Aditya Chola I brought superior quality gold from Kongunad to cover the front portion of this sabha. The song ‘Kadivettu pattu’ says the Manavil Koothan, the king of Kalinga, donated gold to Ponnambalam.Perambalam : This is devasabha. It is said based on a temple song Manavil Kootham. King of Kalinga, had arranged to cover the sabha with Tamrapatra during the time of Vikaramachola. Later Kulothungachola III covered it with gold. The hundred-pillared mandpam, Nandavana (garden) was constructed by him. It is said that he donated thousand cows. He had Thirumurai engraved on copper plates.Nrityasabha : This is situated to the south of the Dwaja sthamba of Nataraja Swami. This is the sabha where the Lord performed ‘Urthwa Tandavam’. The image of this dance posture can be seen here.Rajasabha : This is a thousand-pillared mandapam. The kings of the Chola dynasty were sworn in here amidst the people of Chidambaram. The Jeernodharana Pooja for this sabha was performed by Vikramachola. After the Chola rule, this sabha came under the people of Chidambaram. The commander of Vikramachola, Ponnambalam Koothan by name, constructed the thousand-pillared mandapam in the name Vikramachola. A mandapam to study Thevaram was built by him. He had the text engraved on copper plate;Gnana Sambandar had this Sabha with golt-plated.The eastern gopuram is seven storeyed. Inside, on four pillars, beautiful sculpted figures in various dance postures can be seen. On entering, to the right is the thousand pillared mandapam. We can see al the songs of Thiruvaachakam engraved on stone. On the western bank, there is the sannidhi of Pandinayaka (another name of Shanmukha). The sannidhi of Sivaka Sundari is situated separately. On the inner praakara, the sannidhis of Sahanayaka, Urthwatandava, and Sarabhamurti can be seen. In the sannidhi of Nataraja Swami, the gold-plated Dwajasthambham is present. The sannidhi of the goddess is within the praakara.Next, the idols of Kambathillaiyanar, Thayumanavar, Vinayaka, Subrahmanya Swami, can be seen. Adjacent to the swami sannidhi, the gold-plated idol of Parvatidevi can be seen. Here we find the mandapam of Sani. There is also the Alazhagar Sabha of Chitrambalam. In the front, there is the Perambalam mandapam.Next to Nataraja swami there is the Chidambara Rahasyam (representing the space within). Bats can be seen hanging in the cellar. On the left, we find Govindarajaswami sannidhi where the Swami is in the reclining posture. During circum-ambulation, we come across Venugopala sannidhi, the Utsavamurtis of Yatirajar, Yoganarasimha, Koorathazhlwar, and Anjaneya. The abhisehekam in the month of Aani, Thiruvaadurai in the month of Margazhi are grand festivals of this temple.
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