Chidambaram

The temple of Nataraja in the old Tillai forest, the ether shrine among the five element temples and one of the five dance halls; behind two curtains the sanctum keeps the formless space-linga (the Chidambara rahasya) marked by fifty-two gold bilva leaves. Parantaka I gilded it, the east tower shows all 108 dance poses, and the great festivals are Arudra Darshan and Ani Tirumanjanam. The Thillai Kali temple at the town's edge holds the goddess who left after the dance contest.