Nataraja Alankaram and Puja: Friday April 29, 2016

Lord Shiva, in his incarnation of Nataraja, is believed to have been born on full moon day in the constellation of Ardra, the sixth lunar mansion. 

Chidambaram is one of the Panchabootha Sthalams, where the Lord is worshipped in his manifestation as five boothas (elements): earth (Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram), water (Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval), fire (Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai), wind (Kalahasti Temple, Srikalahasthi) and space (Sri Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram). 

At Chidambaram, where the Principal Deity is Lord Nataraja, Lord Shiva is bathed only 6 times a year. At that place year six anointing ceremonies (mahabhishekams) are performed for Lord Nataraja. 

Lord Nataraja Alankaram, Arunachaleswarar Temple

Lord Nataraja Chittirai Thiruvonam

Chittirai Thiruvonam in April-May performed here at Arunachaleswarar Temple indicates the third pooja of these six anointing ceremonies. 

First Pooja Marghazhi Thiruvaadhirai (December - January ) 

Second Pooja fourteenth day after the new moon (chaturdasi) of Masi (February - March) 

Third Pooja (or uchivkalam) is Chittirai Thiruvonam (April- May) 

Fourth Pooja Uthiram of Aani (June–July) also called the Aani Thirumanjanam 

Fifth Pooja chaturdasi of Aavani (August-September) 

Sixth Pooja (Arthajama) month of Puratasi (October-November) 

Goddess Sri Sivakami Ambal

Devotees outside Sri Nataraja Shrine, Arunachaleswarar Temple

The six Mahabhishekams of Sri Nataraja 2016-2017 

29.04.2016 Friday Chithirai Onam 
10.07.2016 Sunday Aanithirumanjanam 
15.09.2016 Thursday Aavani Chathurdhasi 
14.10.2016 Friday Purattasi Chathurdhasi 
11.01.2017 Wednesday Aarudhraa Abhishekam 
11.03.2017 Saturday, Maasi Chathurdhasi 

Deepa Aaradhanai, Sri Nataraja Shrine, 2nd Prakaram, Arunachaleswarar Temple

Tamarind Rice Prasad at 2nd Prakaram, Big Temple

Thiruvathira Festival and Saint Manikkavacakar

For the previous nine days the statue of Manikkavacakar has been taken from its place near the Siva Sannidhi Shrine, and brought out in procession around the Big Temple’s maha veedhis (four perimeter streets). 

Manikkavacakar was a poet of the Hindu bhakti revival movement and his work forms one volume of the Tirumurai, the key religious text of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta. His poems are a poetic expression of the joy of God-experience and the anguish of being separated from the Lord. This great saint aided the spiritual and religious revival of Hinduism and is revered as one of the four Samayak Kuravarkal (nalvars) of Shaivism who took birth in the world to show the path of elevating oneself to the Supreme Shiva. 

For more information about his life go to this link here, and to read two of his more famous works with English translation and audio go to his poems: Thiruvammaanai (Exulting Bliss) and Thiruvepaavai. 

On this the 10th day of his Festival and in conjunction with the Thiruvathira Festival, Lord Nataraja and the Goddess join Manikkavacakar in a procession around Arunachaleswarar Temple. 

Lord Nataraja and the Goddess

Gods coming from the 1000 Pillared Hall after worship

Lord Nataraja

The Goddess accompanying her Lord

Saint Manikkavacakar

Arudra Darshinam

During the Arudra star in the Tamil month of Margazhi (Dec 15 – Jan 15) is believed to be the time when Lord Shiva’s energy is very close to the earth; hence it has been given the importance of being His birthday. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Nataraja in this month which is also observed as Lord Nataraja Urchavam at Arunachaleswarar Temple.

The month of Margazhi is also known as the ‘Twilight’ in Heaven (the time that the sun is in Sagittarius), and is considered the most appropriate time in which the Gods can rest and rejuvenate. This year, 2012, Arudra Darshan was observed today December 28.  

Lord Shiva is worshipped in the cosmic dance form as Lord Nataraja, and the full moon night of Margazhi is also the longest night of the year. After this date, days get longer and nights get shorter. To read more about the way seasons and rhythms affect our bodies go to an earlier posting at this link here. 

The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva represents five activities – Creation, Protection, Destruction, Embodiment and Release. In essence, it represents the continuous cycle of creation and destruction.

"Modern physics has shown that the rhythm of creation and destruction is not only manifest in the turn of the seasons and in the birth and death of all living creatures, but is also the very essence of inorganic matter...For the modern physicists, Shiva's dance is the dance of subatomic matter . . . Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes. In our time, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance. The metaphor of the cosmic dance thus unifies ancient mythology, religious art and modern physics." 

[Fritjof Capra]

For more information on Arudra Darshan go to any posting at this link here.

Arudra Darshan

Arudra Darshan, also known as Thiruvathira festival, is another occasion celebrated in a grand manner on Arudra star day at Arunachaleswarar Temple during the Tamil month of Margazhi. The month of Margazhi is also known as the ‘Twilight’ in Heaven (the time that the sun is in Sagittarius), and is considered the most appropriate time in which the Gods can rest and rejuvenate. This year Arudra Darshan fell on January 8th.






It is during this auspicious period that Lord Shiva’s birthday is celebrated. The day has been given this importance as Arudra Darshan is believed to be the period in which Lord Shiva’s energy is closest to earth.








Lord Shiva is worshipped in the cosmic dance form as Lord Nataraja, and the full moon night of Margazhi is also the longest night of the year. After this date, days get longer and nights get shorter. Lord Nataraja is the presiding deity of the famed Saivaite Temple at Chidambaram, one of the famed five Pancha Bootha Sthalams, and which represents akasha (ether).








The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva represents five activities – Creation, Protection, Destruction, Embodiment and Release. In essence, it represents the continuous cycle of creation and destruction. And it elaborately acted out and represented in most major Saivite Temples.






Dancing with Shiva

The world is seen as it truly is – sacred -- when we behold Siva's cosmic dance. Everything in the universe, all that we see, hear and imagine, is movement. Galaxies soar in movement; atoms swirl in movement. All movement is Siva's dance. When we fight this movement and think it should be other than it is, we are reluctantly dancing with Siva. We are stubbornly resisting, holding ourselves apart, criticizing the natural processes and movements around us.

It is by understanding the eternal truths that we bring all areas of our mind into the knowledge of how to accept what is and not wish it to be otherwise. Once this happens, we begin to consciously dance with Siva, to move with the sacred flow that surrounds us, to accept praise and blame, joy and sorrow, prosperity and adversity in equanimity, the fruit of understanding. We are then gracefully, in unrestrained surrender, dancing with Siva. The Vedas state, "The cosmic soul is truly the whole universe, the immortal source of all creation, all action, all meditation. Whoever discovers Him, hidden deep within, cuts through the bonds of ignorance even during his life on earth."

[By Satguru Sivaya Subrmauniyaswami]

Marriage of Shiva and Meenakshi

Right-click on photographs to view enlargements:

This year the marriage of Lord Shiva and the Goddess Meenakshi was celebrated on 16th April, 2011. Interestingly, the day before I visited Arunachaleswarar Temple and whilst sitting outside the Shiva Sannidhi watched as various palanquins were being prepared for the Marriage Festival to be held the next day.

The Marriage is celebrated throughout South India particularly at such Siva Sthalams as Arunachala. However, according to legend it is Madurai that is believed to be the actual site where the wedding between Shiva and Meenakshi took place and it is at Madurai that the Marriage is celebrated in a grand and huge manner over a period of 8-10 days.

The legend of Meenakshi and her marriage to Lord Shiva goes thus:

Marriage of Lord Shiva and Meenakshi

The legend

Once Indra killed a demon, even though the demon had done no harm. This act brought a curse upon Indra which he was freed from through the power of a Shiva Lingam in a forest, at which site he built a small Temple.

At that time in South India there was a Pandyan King called Malayadhwaja Pandiyan ruling a small city by the name Manavur, which was near the Shiva Lingam. When the King came to know about the Shiva Lingam he decided to build a large Temple for Shiva in that Forest. The King also developed the region into a fine princely state which was to be known as Madurai.

As the King was childless, he prayed and performed numerous yagnas for God to give him a child. The result was a three year old girl was born to him, who had three breasts and beautiful eyes like those of a fish (Meenakshi = eyes like a fish). The disappointed King who had been hoping for a boy, was told that when the child would meet her future husband, her third breast would fall off.

When her father died, the Princess ruled the kingdom and, as a ferocious warrior, led armies on a number of successful expeditions. On one of them she reached the Himalayas and encountered the God Shiva. Immediately her third breast fell off, and she became docile, ready to be a wife.

Shiva told her to return to Madurai where he would come to marry her.

He arrived accompanied by enormous crowds.

Wedding Procession

And it was at the wedding celebrations that Lord Shiva as Nataraja performed his majestic, cosmic dance.

Nataraja and Cosmic Dance

Seasons and Rhythms

The rainy season has started and everything is now cold and damp. This evening by the time I generally take my dogs for a walk, it was already dark and gloomy because of a heavily overcast sky; with rain clouds both going out and coming in. Taking opportunity of the lull in the rain, I immediately started to prepare my six doggies for their regular walk. Three of whom absolutely refused to leave their protected seated area on the verandah, but the other three were willing and eager to wade through muddy fields and risk the possibility of getting caught in a thunderstorm. So off we went.

This climatic and seasonal change reminded me of an interesting narrative I had read about the affects cycles and rhythm have on the body’s physiology. On returning home I dug out the narrative and post it below.


Dancing with the Universe

"Our body, our mind, our emotions; everything in our physiology is changing moment to moment, depending on the time of the day, the cycles of the moon, the seasons and even the tides. Our body is part of the Universe, and everything that happens in the Universe ultimately affects the physiology of our body. Biological rhythms are an expression of the rhythms of the Earth in relationship to the entire cosmos, and just four rhythms: daily rhythms, tidal rhythms, monthly or lunar rhythms and annual or seasonal rhythms; are the basis of all of the other rhythms in our body.

As the Earth spins on its axis, we experience a 24 hour cycle of night and day that we call the circadian rhythm. This rhythm is based on the spinning of the Earth, and everything in our body, being part of the Earth, is also spinning and following the rhythm of the Earth. Tidal rhythms also have an effect on our physiology. These rhythms are the result of the gravitational effect of the sun, the moon and the stars in the distant galaxies on the oceans of planet Earth. We have an ocean within us that is similar to the oceans of our planet. More than 60% of our body is water, and more than 60% of our planet is water. So we experience a low tide and a high tide, and the tides ebb and flow in our own physiology. When we feel out of sorts, our body is out of synch with the body of the universe. Spending time near the ocean, or anywhere in nature, can help us to synchronize our rhythms with nature's rhythms.

The lunar rhythm is a 28 day cycle that occurs as a result of the movement of the Earth, the sun and the moon in relationship to one another. This rhythm is evident in the waxing and waning of the moon. As the Earth moves around the sun, we experience seasonal rhythms as distinct biochemical changes in the body-mind. Seasonal changes affect not only the biochemistry of the human body; they affect the biochemistry of trees, flowers, butterflies, bacteria and everything throughout nature.

To separate the body-mind from the rest of the cosmos is to misperceive things as they really are. The body-mind is part of a larger mind; it's part of the cosmos, and cosmic rhythms result in profound changes in our physiology. The universe is truly a symphony of the stars. And when our body-mind is in synch with this symphony, everything is spontaneous and effortless, and the exuberance of the universe flows through us in joyful ecstasy.

When the rhythms of our body-mind are in synch with nature's rhythms, when we are living in harmony with life, we are living in the state of grace. To live in grace is to experience that state of consciousness where things flow effortlessly and our desires are easily fulfilled. Grace is magical, synchronistic, coincidental, joyful. It's that good-luck factor. But to live in grace we have to allow nature's intelligence to flow through us without interfering.

Once we start to synchronize our rhythms with the cosmic rhythms, the body feels quite different. It feels vital; it doesn't get fatigued. We feel more energy subjectively. We begin to experience that state of consciousness where everything in our life is flowing with ease. Vibrant health is not just the absence of disease; it's a joyfulness that should be inside us all the time. It's a state of positive wellbeing, which is not only physical but emotional, psychological and ultimately even spiritual. What will make us healthy is to be aligned with the forces of the universe, to feel that our body is part of the body of nature, to commune with nature, to commune with our soul by spending time in silence and solitude. "

[Abridged – By Deepak Chopra]


Shiva as Nataraja

Shiva is often referred to as the Destroyer but since he is often associated with creation that comes out of destruction, he is also a God of Transformation. In addition he has different aspects that appear at different times. One aspect is that of Shiva Nataraja, The term 'Nataraj' means 'King of Dancers' (Sanskrit nata = dance; raja = king). It is believed that the energy from this dance of bliss (Ananda Tandavam) sustains the cosmos, and when Shiva is finished with this dance, the Universe will end and a new one will begin. The dance is said to symbolize the five divine acts (pancha krityas) of creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment and bestowment of grace.

To read a full and earlier posting of Shiva as Nataraj, go this link here

Shiva as Nataraja

Shiva is often referred to as the Destroyer but since he is often associated with creation that comes out of destruction, he is also a God of Transformation. In addition he has different aspects that appear at different times.

As the destroyer, he appears as a naked ascetic accompanied by demons, encircled with serpents and necklaces of skulls. Sometimes He wanders into crematoriums, body smeared with ash and dances in the light of funeral pyres, reminding all about the transitory nature of material things. Other times Shiva is seen as the god of meditation and asceticism and depicted sitting cross-legged with his eyes half-closed. When the creative force of Shiva is depicted, he is represented as the Linga.

Another common form is that of Shiva Nataraja, The term 'Nataraj' means 'King of Dancers' (Sanskrit nata = dance; raja = king). It is believed that the energy from this dance of bliss (Ananda Tandavam) sustains the cosmos, and when Shiva is finished with this dance, the Universe will end and a new one will begin. The dance is said to symbolize the five divine acts (pancha krityas) of creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment and bestowment of grace.

During the Tamil month of Ani (June - July) Lord Siva performs the dance of ecstasy in the form of Nataraj at Chidambaram Temple. Chidambaram is one of five holiest Shiva Temples representing one of the five natural elements - space. The other four temples are: Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswara (water), Kanchi Ekambareswara (earth), Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar (fire) and Kalahasti Nathar (wind).

The Chidambaram Temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva in His form of the Cosmic Dancer, Nataraja, is spread over forty acres in the heart of the city. It is an ancient, historic Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva Nataraja and Lord Govindaraja Perumal, one of the few Temples where both the Saivite and Vaishnavite deities are enshrined in one place.

One of the special features of the Temple is the bejeweled image of Nataraja. It depicts Shiva as the Lord of the dance Bharatanatyam and is one of the few Temples where Shiva is represented by an idol rather than a Lingam.

The gestures of the dance represent Shiva’s five activities, creation (symbolised by the drum), protection (by the “fear not” hand gesture), destruction (by the fire), embodiment (by the foot planted on the ground), and release (by the foot held aloft).

Nataraja dances within the Universe of illusion. The locks of his hair stand out in many strands as he whirls around in a dancing frenzy. Shiva’s unkempt hair, a symbol of a rejection of society, shows him to be an ascetic. His locks are decked with crescent moon, a skull, and are interspersed with the sacred river Ganges that flows in his hair as Shiva as Nataraja, agreed to break the violent power of the sacred Ganga’s fall to earth by catching her in his tangled hair. The fiery ring surrounding Shiva, prahabhamandala, represents the Universe with all its illusion, suffering and pain. The outer edge is fire, the inner edge the waters of the oceans.

Nataraja, the King of Dance, has four arms. The upper right hand holds the drum from which creation issues forth. The drum represents the rhythmic sound to which Nataraja dances and ceaselessly recreates the Universe. The front right hand is in the abhaya-mudra (fear not gesture), the front left hand is across the chest in the gahahasta (elephant trunk) pose, with the wrist limp and the fingers pointed downward toward the uplifted foot in assurance that Shiva’s grace is the refuge for everyone, the way to liberation.

The back left hand carries agni (fire) in a vessel or in his hand. The flames represent the destructive energy with which Nataraja dances at the end of each age, cleansing sins and removing illusion. The right leg, representing obscuring grace, stands upon Apasmara, whom he has killed; in this role he is called Natesa. Apasmara, the dwarf demon, represents a soul temporarily earth-bound by its own sloth, confusion and forgetfulness. The uplifted left leg is revealing grace, which releases the mature soul from bondage. The circle of fire represents the cosmos and especially consciousness.

The cobra around Nataraja’s waist is kundalini shakti, the soul-impelling cosmic power resident within all. Snakes are also used to symbolise reincarnation as their natural process of molting and shedding their skin is symbolic of the human soul’s transmigration from one life to another.

“O my Lord, They hand holding the sacred drum has made and ordered the heavens and earth and other worlds and innumerable souls. Thy lifted hand protects both the conscious and unconscious order of they creation. All these worlds are transformed by They hand bearing fire. Thy sacred foot, planted on the ground, gives an abode to the tired soul struggling in the toils of causality. It is Thy lifted foot that grants eternal bliss to those that approach Thee. These Five-Actions are indeed Thy Handiwork.” [Chidambara Mummani Kovai]