Chidambaram is a town in Tamil Nadu with a lot of historical and cultural significance. The region has seen many rulers like Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagaras, Marathas and the British. The major tourist attraction is the Thillai Nataraja temple and the chariot festival held in December-January and June-July. The Thillai trees from the nearby Pichavaram wetlands, world’s second largest mangroves, surround the main shrine.
The temple has many fresco paintings featuring different poses of Nataraja, an incarnation of the Hindu god Shiva. Different rulers have made numerous donations to perform different rituals and the artefacts remain intact in the temple. The Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai and Aani Thirumanjanam are the most important festivals conducted in the temple. Thousands of people flock the temple to see the ceremonies revolving around the anointment of Nataraja.
