Kshetradam - I

This weekend I went touring many temples down south in Tamil Nadu. I must say that one day and many temples is really a bad strategy, if you are like me - wishing to explore each temple for its architectural beauty, for the legends that it stands for, just hanging around and experiencing each and every moment in that place. Nevertheless, I had my dose of hanging around and shouting at people hanging around (now that's like a true hypocrite). And, although I woke up at around 3:20 on two continuous nights, I am really not tired! What a surprise.

Journey started on 12th - I left from Bangalore to Chennai by Brindavan Exp - what a boring journey. Usually there would be lots of kids with whom you can pass your time, but this journey was exceptionally boring - I ended up smsing pappan shers!!!

13th night - We left by Mayiladuthurai fast passenger that night. I thought the train looked dwarfed. It really was - we were, I think going by meter guage. We had plans of getting down at a station called Vaideeshwaran Koil. Suddenly, it all got changed and we were to get off at Chidambaram itself. That was 3:20 AM in the morning!!! :-)

Chidambaram
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Thiruchchitrambalam!!! Thiruchchitrambalam!!! I am reminded of a Tamil movie in which Sivaji Ganesan and a young boy kept greeting each other that way. Chidambaram (Thillai sthalam) is extremely famous for the Nataraja temple.

Since we had landed at 3:20 AM, we decided to go to the temple at 5:00 AM. Much to our dismay we found that the temple doors were open only at 6:00 AM. So, for about an hour, many like us waited outside. One of the young girls who was waiting decided to draw kolams (artistic designs on the ground) in front of the temple gate. At this, my mother and aunt went and advised her on how the kolam in front of a temple needs to be BIG. They proceeded to display their artistic talents and God - it was indeed massive, very impressive. Seeing two women put kolam, the rest of the womenfolk hurried to show their talents (or was it more like, it is a privilege to draw kolam in front of the temple). Nevertheless, I clearly could see how men and women reacted totally differently to something as simple as waiting!!!

The temple doors finally stood open and after the mad rush, we walked in. I need to fish the dictionary to find the superlatives to describe this temple built during the Chola period. The pillared corridors (I guess there are more than 1000 pillars). The kanakasabhai (Golden hall) or the chitsabhai (chit-consciousness sabhai-hall), the natanasabhai, were beyond human imagination. It is indeed an architectural marvel. There are Bharatanatyam mudras and poses carved on the temple gopurams (towers). The main deity is Shiva in a dance pose installed in a sanctum sanctorum facing southwards whose roof is full of Gold. This cosmic dance of Shiva is Ananda Natanam (Dance of Bliss). There is yet another Urdhva Tandava - that when Shiva and Parvati competed with each other. This idol is in Natana Sabhai. The interesting part of temples in South is that in each temple, Lord Shiva and his consort would have different names. In Chidambaram, the Ambal (Lord's consort) is called Shivakaami (or Shivakaamasundari). We witnessed a ritual where the utsavar is taken from Palli arai to the main chit or kanaka sabhai. I heard many people say that one is blessed to see this - I don't know why!!! Chidambaranar (the deity, Lord Shiva) has been the ishta devata of many of the 63 nayanmars, most particularly Nandanar. I remembered all the Dandapani Desikar songs that I had heard in my childhood. I sang couple of these in front of chitsabhai, right in front of thillai natarajar. Since the pillars were obstructing my view of the deity, one of the mamas there asked me to go further behind, get a full view of the Lord and sing. I sang 'Ananda Natana Prakasham' in Kedaram while my mother knew 'Chidambaram' in Kalyani. She also sang 'Ananda Natam aaduvar thillai' in Purvi Kalyani. Not just us, many other old mamis were singing in Tamil, I guess Thiruvasagam. I have been to other temples of Shiva where there is a hoary silence. But, Chidambaram was full of activity! The other unique thing about chidambaram is the kudumi (knotted hair) that all the dwijas serving in the temple were wearing. Usually the kudumi is at the back of the head, but this one was at the front like the namboodiris. The only thing that made me sad was that the Shastrigals or gurukkals were asking all outstation people to sign up for a Prasadam for a year for a fee of Rs. 1000. A glorious temple like Chidambaram in dire need of funds???!!! Or, is it some govt driven profit making promotion program! Why oh why??? The Lord alone knows.

The temple also has Lord Govindaraja Perumal. Reminded me of a saying my mother would say - 'Hariyum Shivanum onnu, ariyadavan vaayil mannu' (Hari and Shiva are One, and the one who doesn't realize this speaks not the truth). I forget the name of Thayar. I sang Muthuswamy Dikshitar's Govindarajena in Mecha Bowli raga at the Perumal's sannidhi. The satisfaction of singing a Kshetra composition at the kshetra is really beyond words.

After all my songs, we left chidambaram for the next temple. More in my next blog.