Significance: Chidambaram has ancient and celebrated shrines in India. Chidambaram is associated with Nataraja or Shiva in Ananda Tandava pose (the Cosmic Dance of bliss) in the golden hall and the Chit Sabha. Shiva is also worshipped here as formless - Chidambara Rahasyam. Therefore the temple is known for its Akasa Lingam.

Antiquity: When the temple came about to be is unknown but literature mentions the tradition of Shiva (Nataraja) worship in existence as early as the Sangam period. The later Chola kings (Aditya I and Parantaka I) decorated the roof with gold, and the other Chola kings treated Nataraja as their guardian deity and made several endowments. The Pandya kings followed them, and the Vijayanagar rulers made endowments to the temple. There is a stone image of Krishnadevaraya in the North Gopura, which he erected. During the 18th century the Mysore rulers used this temple as a fort. During this period, the images of Nataraja and Sivakamasundari were housed in the Tiruvarur Tyagaraja temple for safety.

Each of the four most revered Saivite Saints (Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar and Manikkavacakar) has worshipped at Chidambaram, and their images are placed at the temple entrances corresponding to the points from whence they entered - (Sambandar - South, Appar - West, Sundarar - North and Manikkavacakar - East).

Legends: Aadi Sesha, heard about the splendor of Shiva`s cosmic dance. And had the desire to witness it. He descended to earth as Patanjali. Vyagrapaadar, another devotee of Shiva prayed to obtain the tiger`s claws so that he could obtain the sacred Vilva leaves meant for Shiva`s worship at Chidambaram. At the appointed hour, Shiva (with Sivakami) granted to Patanjali and Vyagrapaadar, a glimpse in to his cosmic dance with the other goods accompanied by playing the music. Vishnu witnessed this dance, and the Govindaraja shrine was built to commemorate this. Shiva performed the dance after his victory over the ascetics of Daruka Vanam.

Another legend, states the dance duel between Shiva and Kali. Shiva lifted his left foot towards the sky in the Urdhuva Tandava posture - a definite male gesture. Kali could not strike a similar pose and so Shiva emerged victorious. Thus Kali was shifted to another temple on the outskirts of Chidambaram. This legend is depicted on the walls of Nritta Sabha, within the Chidambaram temple.

Nataraja: The dance of bliss symbolizes the five divine acts (pancha krityas) of creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment and bestowment of grace. The dance of Shiva is frozen in time here and is worshipped in Nataraja Sabhas. Five of the foremost Sabhas (Pancha Sabhai) are at Chidmbaram (Kanaka Sabhai the hall of gold), Madurai (Rajata Sabhai the hall of Silver), Tiruvalangadu near Chennai (Ratnasabhai the hall of rubies), Tirunelveli (Tamrasabhai the hall of copper) and Kutralam near Tirunelveli (Chitrasabhai the hall of pictures). Other dance halls of significance are Adri Sabhai (the Himalayas), Aadi Chitsabhai (Tiruvenkaadu near Chidambaram) and Perur Kanakasabhai (Patteeswarar temple at Perur near Coimbatore).

Architecture: The Chidambaram Nataraja temple is an incorporation of several architectural styles. The Chitsabha is a wooden structure supported by wooden pillars, and a hut shaped roof. This hall, has images of Nataraja and Sivakami housed behind a set of curtains, the inner (invisible) is red in color, the outer is black in color. To the right of Shiva, is the revered Chidambara rahasyam - garlanded with golden vilva leaves. The curtain in front of the Chidambara Rahasyam, represents Shiva (and Parvati) in the formless form (Aroopam) is lifted ceremoniously during worship services, and offered lamps. Also in the Chitsabha are the images of Ratnasabhapati (Nataraja of Ruby), the Spatika Lingam of Chandramauleeswara, Swarnakarshana Bhairavar, and Mukhalingam.

The Golden Hall, or Kanaka Sabha lies immediately in front of the Chit Sabha, both on an elevated platform have silver panelled doors. The Chit Sabha is a meter or so higher than the Kanaka Sabha and can be reached by a flight of five silver plated steps, marking the five aksharas (or syllables) of the Panchakshara Mantram (the five syllabled Namasivaya).

From across the Nataraja shrine in the second prakaram is the Nritta Sabha or the hall of dance with fine pillars, and houses an image of Shiva in the Urdhva tandava posture, and an image of Sarabheswara - another form of Shiva. The Nritta Sabha has fine pillars and is in the shape of a chariot drawn by horses. The Deva Sabha or the house of Gods is also in the second prakaram, housing festival images of the Pancha Murtis (Somaskandar, Parvati, Vinayaka, Subramanya and Chandikeswara) and other deities. Mulanathar, or the representation of Shiva as a lingam is housed in the second prakaram.

Perhaps the most magnificent structures in the temple are the four lofty gopurams or towers in the four cardinal directions, over the walls of the outermost prakaram. Each is a massive about 250 feet in height, with seven tiers. The Western tower is the oldest one. In the towers, on either side of the gateways there are the 108 poses of the classical Bharata Natyam Tradition. The towers are embellished with images from Hindu mythology. From the second tier onward, each gopuram has images of various manifestations of Shiva. There are no Natarajas` on the temple towers, this image is reserved for the innermost shrine alone.

Festivals: Two annual Bhrammotsavams at Chidambaram are of great significance, as they involve colorful processions of festival deities in the car streets. The grandest of these occurs in the month of Margazhi (Dec 15 - Jan 15. The second happens in the month of Aani, and it concludes with Aani Tirumanjanam on the tenth day, in a manner similar to Arudra Darisanam in Margazhi. These festivals precede the summer and winter solstices (ie. Gemini and Sagittarius).