Chidambaram Nataraja Temple

The Chidambaram Nataraja Temple is unique among major Shiva temples for enshrining Shiva in his dancing form, Nataraja, and for representing the element of Space (Akasha) — the subtlest of the five elements. The temple's inner sanctum, the Chit Sabha, famously houses the 'Akasha Lingam,' represented by empty space behind a curtain, symbolizing formlessness. The temple's roof is covered with 21,600 gold-plated tiles, a number believed to correspond to the number of breaths a human takes in a day, fixed by 9,000 silver nails. The temple was patronized extensively by the Chola dynasty, who considered Chidambaram their spiritual capital, and its architecture and bronze Nataraja icon have influenced South Indian temple art and the classical dance form of Bharatanatyam profoundly.