Chidambaram Tourism

In the abode of the magical south!

The town of Chidambaram is situated in the east-central part of Tamil Nadu state of southeastern India extending 11.24°N and 79.44°E. The town is in the Coleroon River Valley on the Madras-Thanjavur road and rail system. The climate of Chidambaram is tropical with mercury touching up to 37°C in the summers and around 20°C in the winters.

The nearest airports are Tiruchirapalli (195 km) and Chennai (245 km). From Tiruchirapalli, Indian Airlines flights can be taken to Chennai (Madras). Chennai is connected to all the major cities in India and abroad through regular flights.

Chidambaram is situated on the Madras-Tiruchirapalli main line of the Southern Railway. It is connected with Tiruchirapalli, Madras, Madurai (335 km), Rameshwaram (575 km), Bangalore (340 km), and Tirupati (290 km).

Frequent bus services are available to various places in Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Pondicherry states from Chidambaram. There are non-stop bus services and express bus services to major cities like Chennai.

The magnetic pull of the town!!

"Salutation to Shiva whose glory
Is immense, who resembles Sky
In Clearness, to whom are attributed
The theme of all creations-
The preservation and destruction of the Universe".

» The Nataraja Temple : The temple is ideally located in the centre of the town covering an area of 40 acres. It is one of the oldest temples of Tamil Nadu. The roof of the temple is covered with gold plates. The presiding deity of the temple is represented by air, one of the five elements of the universe and is known as "Akasa Lingam".

The Eastern tower rises to a magestic height of 40.8 metres. 108 Bharatha Natyam dance gestures can be seen engraved on the Eastern towers as well as Western tower. The Northern tower rises to a height of 42.4 metres.

» The Sivakamiamman Temple : The Sivaganga tank, the thousand pillar hall are the other highlights features of the temple.

» Kali Temple : The Thillaikaliamman temple is located on the northern end of the town. It was constructed by Kopperunjingan, who ruled between 1229 AD and 1278 AD.

» Annamalai University : It is a residential University founded by the Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar. It is a great centre of Tamil learning and Carnatic music; now offers educational facilities in various disciplines including Medicine, Agriculture, Engineering etc.

Excursions

» Pichavaram : Pichavaram, 16 kms. east of Chidambaram, ranks among the most exquisite scenic spot with abundant and varied tourism resources. The backwaters which are interconnected by the Vellar and Kollidam system offer abundant scope for water sports - parasailing, rowing and canoeing.

» Neyveli : It is about 30 kms. from Chidambaram via Vadalur. It is one of the biggest industrial complexes in the country. The lignite mined here is utilized for thermal power generation. Apart from fertilisers ceramic wares and Leco (cooking coal), a number of by-products are also produced from lignite.

» Kalvarayan Hills : The Kalvarayan hills are situated 150 kms north west of Chidambaram on the western side of Kallakurichi Taluk. Covering over an area of 600 sq. kms. approximately with the height ranging from 315 mts. to 1190 mts. these hills offer a temperate climate and a peaceful atmosphere. There is a beautiful botanical garden on the hills. There are two waterfalls here. The area is best suited for trekking. A summer festival is also held every year in the month of May.

» Tarangambadi : Once the site of a Danish settlement, Tarangambadi has the remains of the Dansborg fort built by Ore Gedde, the commander of the Royal Dutch Navy, in the 17th century. The fort constructed in 1620 with two storeys was the most important building which housed the top echelons of the Danish officials. Apart from the ramparts, the rest of the buildings are in good condition.