Starts
from the day of Mahashivaratri, for 5 days. Chidambaram is situated along
the coast of the Bay of Bengal, 75 kms south of Pondicherry. Lord Nataraja,
according to the Hindu mythology is a cosmic dancer. He is called the Lord
of dances. This is an opportunity for all dancers, from all India, to
perform and to pay their tribute to Lord Nataraja.The Natyanjali festival,
which brings all the prominent dancers of India, together on the same
platform, opens on the auspicious occasion of Mahasivaratri, in the month of
February. It is performed at the 'Prakara' of the temple, and the dancers,
full of intense bliss and devotion, with their evocative abhinaya, offer
their dance to the great divinity, Lord Nataraja.
Festivals have great value in Chidambaram. The Natyanjali festival
dedicated to the Cosmic Dancer (Lord Shiva) is celebrated every year during
February-March. Lord Nataraja, according to Hindu mythology is the cosmic
dancer. He is also called "the Lord of Dances".
Natyanjali festival is jointly organised by The Department of Tourism,
Government of Tamil Nadu, The Ministry Of Tourism, Government of India and
The Natyanjali Trust, Chidambaram. It is designed to promote a universal
message of 'Unity in Diversity' conveyed in the universal language of music
and dance.
How to get there
» Air : The nearest airport is at Trichy, at a distance of
160-km.
» Rail : The railway station is close to the Nataraja Temple.
Express and passenger trains leave for Chennai four times daily, Kumbakonam,
Thanjavur twice daily, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai.
» Road : Chidambaram is well connected by road with Chennai,
Pondicherry, Madurai, Thanjavur, etc.
