Chidambaram also known as Thillai, was named after the mangrove forest of the name Tillai. But now it has gained the Chdmabaram meaning an atmosphere reigning with intelligence and wisdom. As the legend goes this is the place where Lord Shiva performed his famous cosmic dance in the form of Lord Nataraja. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as the formless, the one who covers the whole universe. The dance of bliss, or the Ananda Tandavam of Shiva is said to symbolize the five divine acts ("Pancha Krityas") - creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment and bestowment of grace. The dance of Shiva has been frozen in metal and held in worship in Nataraja Sabhas, in virtually all of the Saivite temples in Tamil Nadu.
The place, where the legend says that the Lord performed the dance, was later converted into a hall of dance and later covered with gold plates by Jatavarman Sundra Pandya (AD 1251-1272). The Thai Poosam day is celebrated the day of the cosmic dance till date at Chidambaram. The Annual Nrityanjali festival is also organised at Chidambaram.
