Nepal
Pashupatinath, Kathmandu
On the banks of the Bagmati, Pashupatinath is the most sacred Shiva temple in Nepal.
Great Shiva Temples
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram is the great temple of Shiva as Nataraja, performer of the cosmic dance.
LocationChidambaram
State / RegionTamil Nadu
Worshipped asNataraja — Lord of Dance
Best time to visitNovember to February; the Natyanjali dance festival around Maha Shivaratri
Religious significance
It is one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams — five temples representing the five elements — where Shiva is worshipped as Akasha (space). The "Chidambara Rahasya" is an empty space behind a curtain, signifying the formless. The gopurams carry carvings of the 108 karanas of Bharatanatyam.
Traditional story
The sages Patanjali and Vyaghrapada are said to have witnessed Shiva's ananda tandava here in the forest of Thillai.
Legends are presented as they are told within the tradition; they hold spiritual meaning for devotees and are not offered as historical record.
Visitor guidance
- Men may be asked to remove shirts in the inner sanctum.
- Visit the other Pancha Bhoota Sthalams to complete the five elements.
Continue the journey
More great shiva temples
Tamil Nadu
Brihadeeswarar, Thanjavur
Built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I and completed around 1010 CE, the "Big Temple" is one of the great achievements of Indian architecture.
From the library
Related reading
The Five Elements in Your Home
Earth, water, fire, air and space — the Panchabhuta — and how they shape both Vastu and the experience of a home.