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| Chidambaram Sri Nataraja temple, TNExploeindia.com |
At the popular Chidambaram Sri Nataraja sametha Sivakamasundari temple the yearly Margazhi matha Arundha Darshan is a prominent oe that attracts tens of thousand of devotees a day. This sanctified temple is called Aksaha Kshetra among the Pancha Bootha Kshetras spread over Tamil Nadu and Andhra.. The temple is one of the Mukthi Kshetras and also the Bhooloka Kailash. when devotees visit the temple with faith reposed in him the Cosmic Dancer Sri Nataraja blesses them with welfare, prosperity and health .
The Arudra Darsanam festival, a 9 day event, takes place from January 4. 2025 to January13, 2025. The festival began with the customary temple flag hoisting (kodi Yettram) on the temple premises by the temple priests - hereditary Dikshitars in the midst of chanting of Tamil devotional hymns and Sanskrit hymns. Foremost among the Shivalayams, the other important festival being Aani Thirumanchana Darishan.
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| old image. Temple flag hoisting, Chidambaram, the hindu.com |
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| Interior Nataraja temple, Chidamparam,TN,youTube |
The festival schedule for 2025 is as follows:
January 04 -6.00 am to 7.00 am Dwajarohanam, Gold Silver Manjam Procession
January 05 – Golden Suryaprabha Procession around the Ratha streets
January 06 – Silver Chandraprabha Procession (Veedi Ula)
January 07 – Silver Bootha Vahanam Procession (Veedi Ula)
January 08 – Silver Vrishaba Vahanam with Theruvadaichan Veedi Ula (Sapparam)
January 09 – Silver Elephant Vahanam
January 10 – Golden Kailasa Vahanam
January 11 – Golden Chariot (Ratham) Procession of God Bhikshadanamoorthy, Jumping Horse Vahanam around the streets
January 12 – Maharathotsavam, Laksharchana 8 pm in 1000 pillared hall before the festival idol of Natarajar and consort Sivakamasundari.
January 13 – 2.30 am before sunrise Raja Sabha, Mahabishekam. Raja alangaram, Arudhra Darisanam with AnandaThandavam.
January 14 - Muthu Pallaku -Panchmurthi Veedi Ula
January 15th the long festival ends with float festival (Teppaotshavam in the Gana Prakasa Kulam (temple tank).
Note: An important aspect of this festival is in the first 10 days in the evening (Sayaratchai) in the Chit Sabha in honor of Tamil saint and poet Manikkavachagar Thrivempavai Utchavam will be held with religious fervor.
the entire festival is successfully undertaken with cooperation from the local people by the Pothu Dikshitars who control the temple and the assets as willed by the Rulers of past era.
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| Cosmic dancer Nataraja (Shiva) tirupatitirumalainfo.com |
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| old image. Arudhra Darshan Chariot festival, chidambaram. thehindu.com |
Above image: Five Thers or Rathas carrying the varous festival idols around the ratha streets. Ther festival has been around for centuries.Besides Arudhra Darshan, the other major festival here is Aani Thirumanjanan at Chidambaram temple, Tamil Nadu........
Arudra Darshan is an important Hindu festival celebrated predominantly by Shaivites during the Tamil month of Margazhi (mid-December to mid-January). Dedicated to Lord Nataraja, the cosmic dancer and a form of Lord Shiva, this festival falls on the auspicious day of Arudra or Thiruvathirai Nakshatram (star).
It marks the cosmic birth of Lord Shiva under the Arudra star. The term "Thiruvathirai" in Tamil translates to "sacred big wave," symbolizing the cosmic energy with which the Lord is believed to have created the universe billions of years ago. It is said that on this day, Shiva’s cosmic energy is drawn closer to the Earth, making it an auspicious occasion for worship.
This festival coincides with the longest night of the year, after which the days begin to grow longer. It is also a time when the Sun is in the Sagittarius zodiac sign, a period believed to symbolize divine relaxation and rejuvenation. Stone inscriptions in temples reveal that Arudra Darshan has been celebrated for over 1,500 years, highlighting the astronomical knowledge of ancient Indians who were adept at observing planetary movements and their cosmic impacts.
At the renowned Sri Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, Arudra Darshan holds immense importance. The temple is dedicated to Lord Nataraja and is regarded as a spiritual center where the Lord performs his cosmic dance. The temple represents the Akasha (aether) element, one of the five fundamental elements of nature essential for living things to survive. The festival at Chidambaram follows the grand 10-day Margazhi Brahmotsavam and includes a series of elaborate rituals and events.
One of the notable events during the festival is the eighth-day procession of Bhikshatanar, depicting the legend where Lord Shiva, in the guise of a mendicant, and Lord Vishnu, in the form of Mohini, traveled through Dharukavanam. On the ninth day, the Utsava idol of Lord Shiva is taken in a grand procession through the temple streets. On the morning of Arudra Darshan, under the full moon, an elaborate abhishekam (ritual bath) is performed for the idols of Lord Nataraja and his consort, Goddess Sivakami. Later in the day, the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja is symbolically enacted, an awe-inspiring event witnessed by devotees.
Chidambaram Temple is famous for its Kanakasabha (golden hall), one of the five cosmic dance halls of Lord Nataraja in Tamil Nadu. The other dance halls include the Velli Sabhai (silver hall) at Madurai, the Ratnasabha (ruby hall) at Tiruvalankadu, the Tamrasabha (copper hall) at Tirunelveli, and the Chitrasabha (hall of pictures) at Kutralam. During Arudra Darshan, Lord Nataraja is worshipped in these sabhas, with the Utsava murthy (processional idol) decorated beautifully and kept for public darshan.
In addition to Chidambaram, the festival is celebrated in many prominent Shiva temples across Tamil Nadu, such as Tiruvalankadu, known for its Oordhva Tandava posture of Lord Nataraja; the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore, Chennai; and the Kutralanathar Temple in Kutralam, where the Taandava Deepa Aradhana is a highlight. Other temples, such as the Patteeswarar Temple in Perur near Coimbatore, Chandramouleeswarar Temple in Tiruvakkarai, and the Uthirakosamangai Temple near Rameswaram, also observe this festival with great devotion.
Arudra Darshan is unique compared to festivals in Vishnu temples, which are often marked by grandeur and lavish decorations. Lord Shiva, known for his ascetic nature, is not adorned with extravagant jewelry, reflecting his simplicity. Despite this, the spiritual significance of the festival remains profound.
In Kerala, the festival is celebrated as Thiruvathira during the Malayalam month of Makaram. It is observed with rituals and cultural programs, particularly at the Mathira Peedika Devi Temple near Kadakkal in Kollam District. The festival has a strong connection with Lord Shiva and the moon, emphasizing its cosmic and celestial importance. Arudra Darshan continues to be a deeply spiritual occasion, celebrating the cosmic dance of creation, preservation, and destruction, encapsulated in the divine energy of Lord Nataraja.
https://www.navrangindia.in/2020/12/arudra-darshan-and-cosmic-dancer-god.html
https://temple-festivals.blogspot.com/2025/01/sri-nataraja-swamy-temple-arudhra.html
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