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Chidambaram is one among the five holiest Shiva Temples , each representing one of the five natural elements; Chidambaram represents akasha (ether). The other four temples in this category are the Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswara,Trichy (water), Kanchi Ekambareswara (earth) Kanchipuram, Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswara (fire),Thiruvannamalai and Kalahasti Nathar (wind),Kalahasti. Chidambaram temple is one of the most ancient and most celebrated of shrines in India. It has been of great religious as well as historic and cultural significance. Chidambaram temple is mainly associated with Nataraja, or Shiva in his Ananda Tandava pose (the Cosmic Dance of bliss) in the cosmic golden hall and the hall of consciousness (Chit Sabha). At the temple there is a stone image of Krishnadevaraya in the North Gopura which is said to have been erected by him. In the wars of the 18th century, this great temple was used as a fort, especially when the British General Sir Eyre Coote unsuccesfully tried to...

Lord Shiva performed penance here, during which he devoured two demon brothers — Chuncha and Kancha — who were pestering people in the nearby villages for a long time. Thereafter, the place came to be known as Adichunchanagiri and Chunchanakote. At the end of his austerity, Lord Shiva entrusted a Siddhayogi, establishing a Natha tradition. Lord Shiva also assured him that he would reside at Adichunchanagiri in the form of Panchalingas — Lord Gangadhareshwara, Chandramouleshwara, Malleshwara, Siddeshwara and Someshwara — of which Lord Gangadhareshwara is known as the presiding deity and Chandramouleshwara is known as ‘Atmartha Devatha’. The place thus, came to be known as ‘Panchalinga Kshetra’. Sri Kalabhairaveshwara, the manifestation of Lord Shiva, is the protecting deity of the Kshetra. Goddess Parvati resides here in the form of Stambambike or Kambadamma.