The temple's antiquity is legendary. While the current monumental stone structures were largely built and patronized by the grand Chola dynasty (with later additions by Pandyas, Pallavas, and Vijayanagara kings), the shrine existed long before. The Chola kings were so devoted to Nataraja that they covered the roof of the main sanctum (Chit Sabha) with solid gold, a feature that still gleams today.

The Anatomy of the Universe

The temple complex is massive, spanning 40 acres, and represents the human body. The sanctum (Chit Sabha) is situated slightly off-center, representing the human heart. The golden roof of the Chit Sabha is held up by 22,600 golden tiles representing the number of breaths a human takes in a day, fixed with 72,000 golden nails representing the 'nadis' (energy channels) of the human body. The magnificent outer Gopurams are famous for being carved with the complete 108 Karanas (dance postures) of the Natya Shastra.

According to lore, Lord Shiva strolled into the Thillai (mangrove) forest to confront a group of arrogant sages who believed magic and rituals were superior to God. To crush their ignorance, Shiva performed the Ananda Tandava. He danced upon the demon 'Apasmara' (who represents ignorance) and revealed his true cosmic form to his ardent devotees, the sages Patanjali (who is depicted with a snake body) and Vyaghrapada (depicted with tiger claws).

Worship is conducted according to a unique Vedic ritual manual specific only to the Dikshitars, differing greatly from the Agamic rituals of other South Indian temples. A fascinating aspect is the presence of the Lord Govindaraja Perumal (Vishnu) shrine right next to Nataraja, allowing devotees to view both Shiva and Vishnu from a single vantage point—a powerful symbol of unity.

The ultimate spiritual draw of the temple is the Chidambara Rahasyam (The Secret of Chidambaram). To the right of Lord Nataraja in the sanctum is a curtain. During specific poojas, the priests draw back this curtain. Behind it, there is no idol, but an empty space adorned with golden Bilva leaves. This signifies that the ultimate, truest form of God is formless, infinite space (Akasha). The 'secret' is realizing that God exists in the empty space of one's own heart.

The two largest festivals are Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai (December-January) and Aani Thirumanjanam (June-July). These are the only two times in the entire year when the main bronze idol of Lord Nataraja is brought out of the sanctum for a massive public procession and a grand Abhishekam.