A rare temple of Lord Nataraj in Chennai

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Most South Indian devotees are familiar with the renowned Chidambaram Nataraja Temple. In Shiva temples across South India, a separate shrine for Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva, is a common sight. However, dedicated temples for Nataraja, apart from Chidambaram, are quite rare. When I discovered this lesser-known Nataraja temple in Chennai, I was genuinely surprised.

Located in the Choolai area of North Chennai, this temple was built around 150 years ago by a devotee who couldn’t frequently visit Chidambaram. It stands near the Choolai Post Office and is known as the Chidambareswarar Temple, with Nataraja being worshipped under this name.

Despite its modest size, the temple houses the stone images of Nataraja and Sivakami in the main shrine—a unique feature, as most temples typically enshrine only metal processional (utsava) images of Nataraja.

Beneath the sthala vruksha (sacred tree), icons of Ganesha and a Shiva Linga can be found. The temple’s prakara (corridor) features a small shrine for Goddess Umaiyammai, along with images of Govindaraja, his two consorts, and his mount Garuda. A separate shrine is dedicated to Tirumoolanathar (Shiva Linga) with Ambal (Goddess). Other deities worshipped here include Dakshinamurti, Chandikeswarar, Navagraha, and Durga. Additionally, a small shrine houses Ganesha alongside Murugan, Valli, and Devasena.

 Happy travelling.





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