Chidambaram – Abode of the Celestial Dancer, Lord Nataraja

Carved Wonder- Chidambaram Temple

The Ancient Seat of Learning

The famed Bharatanatyam poses!

Towering glory!

Majestic, legendary edifice!

The Tranquil Mangroves of Pichavaram

We went to the temple town of Chidambaram one day. It is the abode of the Celestial Dancer, Lord Nataraja. The massive temple complex houses the main temple, besides temples of Goddess Shivakami Amman, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi. Hence 4 tall gopurams will be visible from a central point in the complex.

At the shrine’s entrance, we were asked to wait by a priest who was issuing tokens to enter the temple. We were amazed that such a practice should be followed for having a darshan of the Lord. When he didn’t issue us tokens for quite some time and kept giving the localites the same, we protested that our auto was waiting for us outside. Then he reluctantly gave us the tokens after charging us Rs. 200/- as we were ‘outsiders’. No receipt was given. The localites weren’t charged anything! This discriminatory attitude really put us off.

Next, we were told by another priest to follow the dress code. My husband was asked to remove his vest, shirt and belt. Many other devotees were also engaged in the same ritual. Then we were asked for the tokens and allowed to go inside. Lots of devotees were jostling to get a good look at the deity. We requested a devotee to kindly allow us to have darshan as we had come from afar. He agreed and made way.

The deity, with his classical Ananda Tandav pose, was resplendent in all his finery. A priest urged the devotees to see the Chidambaram Rahasya (secret), beside the deity, after shoving aside a curtain. Beyond a grill, there is a vacant space with a garland of 51 golden Bilva leaves, symbolizing the aspect of Sky, one of the Pancha Mahabhootas; represented by the Lord Nataraja here. There are Shivalingas inside the temple too. Thus Lord Shiva is represented in all his 3 forms in this temple. The Celestial Dancer, the one with form-Shivalinga and the third without any form-the sky. Five temples exist in various places in South India, dedicated to Lord Shiva, representing each of the 5 elements of nature, namely, the sky, the earth, water, fire and wind.

We then visited the temples of the other deities too. We saw another stone-carved idol of Lord Nataraja on which abhishek of milk and sandalwood was being performed. Then, when it was adorned with a silk garment and adorned with sandalwood, it appeared truly Divine.

There’s a special Nrutya Mandapam, a space where dance performances are allowed. We were fortunate to view a lady guru with her shishya, performing the classical tandav dance, in Bharatanatyam, an ode to the Lord. Many foreigners were video-recording the sequence, as the shishya sang and the guru danced, as if in trance! It is believed that the Bharatanatyam style of dancing evolved from this temple’s heritage. The stone carvings on the walls of this temple depict various poses of this dance form as well as mangrove trees.

Lord Shiva apparently appeared in Chidambaram, in a mangrove forest and was accosted by sages/magicians who set snakes, a tiger and a demon on him. Lord Shiva adorned his body with the snakes, the tiger-skin and immobilized the demon by standing on his back and performed the Ananda tandav, a dance of cosmic peace and fulfillment, after which the sages realized their folly and acknowledged that he was the supreme Lord Shiva, who was above all magic and illusions. They then asked for his forgiveness. Hence the mangroves of Pichavaram near Chidambaram are sacred and a renowned world-heritage site.

We were satiated as we sat and meditated there for a while and then returned to our guest-house.

The copyright of this travelogue and photographs is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

Today is Thiruvadarai, a festival dedicated to Lord Nataraja. We wish all those who are celebrating it, A Very Happy Thiruvadarai Festival!

Om Namaha Shivaya!

Curl up with a thrilling book, this New Year! 'The Enigma and other stories' awaits you...

 Dear friends,

Kindly note that a Kindle Countdown Deal will be on at www.amazon.com for my e-book titled 

‘The Enigma and other stories’ till 8th January, 2026.

 

You can purchase the e-book for $1.99 only, at a whopping discount. 

Hurry! Your invaluable feedback is most welcome.

Since it was the first e-book published by me on Amazon, it is special to me.

 

You could even browse through my other 24 e-books and paperbacks at Amazon!

And 3 at other sites, radiantpriyasvision.blogspot.com, wattpad.com and freeditorial.com.

 

Happy reading session!

 

Thanks. Have a nice day!

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY, PEACEFUL, PROSPEROUS AND CONTENTED NEW YEAR!

                                           Priya

      

    'The Enigma and other stories’ (Does life win? The mystery deepens...) is a compilation of 3 suspense-filled stories that will have you at the edge of your seats right till the very end. The protagonists of these stories are strong, determined and ingenious.   

  

     The elderly, elegant Vaibhavi of ‘The Enigma’, the eccentric Tejas of ‘The Wait’ and the young scientist Seema of ‘The Panacea’ will draw you into their respective worlds and fill you with wonder, admiration, hope, anticipation and nail-biting suspense.

 

     They are awaiting you eagerly....

                      This book has got a 3-star rating at goodreads.com.

Here's the link:

The Enigma and other stories: Does life win? The mystery deepens...

by Priya Ramesh Swaminathan  | Oct 6, 2015

 

 

An Excerpt from 'The Enigma'

        “Let me see.  I’ll reschedule my appointments in the office; cancel the current ones and join you say, by late afternoon.  That’s the soonest I can make,” he said ruefully, his voice full of concern.

        “Oh, that will be perfectly fine.  I’ll be waiting for you.  Let’s have dinner together.  Candle-light if you please.  And before you jump to any conclusions, let me warn you that the electricity supply is very erratic around here.  Half the while, I’m living in the dark.  I guess I’m used to it now.  You’ll have to, too!” she joked.

        That frivolous remark set off his fertile imagination till he started drooling.  Maybe tonight he would win her over! 

                                                               End of the Excerpt 

Intrigued? Immediately purchase the e-book and find out what happens next.... Please don't forget to post your invaluable review, online, at Amazon! Thanks. Priya

Happy New Year's Eve! - Fond Good Bye To 2025 - Welcome, 2026!

 Good day, dear friends! It's the last day of 2025. Time to make the New Year's resolutions and start acting on them. A day to reflect on the eventful year that has gone by and hope for a better new year... Pray to become a better me and hope for the best. Let the fun times begin. Let good health, peace, contentment, success and prosperity reign. Ring out the old and ring in the new!

Happy New Year's Eve!

Priya's Vision Academy invites you to enroll for its courses and kick-start a splendid year full of learning, empowerment and fun!

Hurry up and enroll.

Priya's Vision Academy - Makes Your Life Blossom.

Merry Christmas to All! Velankanni - A Surreal Experience!

                               Velankanni – In the Seventh Heaven!

Majestic, Velankanni Church

       We had resolved to see the legendary Velankanni church, during our visit to Chennai, in 2017. Hence, we visited it after we visited Chidambaram. Velankanni is situated about 130 kms. away from Chidambaram and the journey is akin to our Pune to Mumbai journey by the Asiad bus.

 
       As we left behind the magnificent mangroves of Chidambaram, we passed by green fields, coconut groves and devoured the breath-taking scenery which sped past our bus. When we saw the blue ocean on both sides of the highway, with glimpses of fishing boats perched on the golden beaches, we knew that we were nearing our destination, as  Velankanni is on the Nagapattinam beach. 

 
       Nagapattinam town, on the southern-most tip of India, had been ravaged by the tsunami in 2004, as its epicenter was there. But now, a decade later, everything was peaceful and beautiful. Life was back to normal. Yet, I couldn’t avoid an involuntary shudder at the thought of that tsunami’s nightmare that the town’s residents would undoubtedly have, for the rest of their lives!

        The word stoic, played in my mind’s eye, as I observed the people going about their routine. Most of them, must’ve lost their beloved ones, livestock and property to the marauding waves of the tsunami, but now appeared to be determined to put their gloomy past behind and look forward to a bright future.

      Bright, would be an understatement, when I begin to describe the blinding white, with which all the churches there, have been painted, in the aftermath of that natural calamity which hadn’t spared them either. All the churches have been rebuilt and restored to their former glory.

       Thus, as soon as we got down at the bus-stand, the very first vision of the white, ethereal churches, bathed in the mellow evening sunshine; made us feel as if we had landed in heaven itself! (By bus!) We slowly walked to the main church of the divine Mother Velankanni, the sari-clad Madonna with her infant Jesus Christ in her arms.

'Miracle' tree!

           Legend has it that the virgin Mother Mary appeared in Velankanni first, before a shepherd boy and then later, before a lad selling butter-milk. After satiating her baby’s hunger, with their milk and butter-milk respectively, she requested them to hasten to a rich businessman there and inform him about her sighting. He was to build her church there! Thus this beautiful church has its origin in this wonderful, touching legend.

       It is customary to offer a sari, candles and a cradle at the Velankanni shrine. One may offer either or all of the above-mentioned items here. Generally cradles are offered by those desirous of having children. The cradle may be tied to the branches of a tree growing just outside the church or put inside the box of offerings kept inside the church. Similarly, there are other boxes for saris and other kinds of offerings. It is believed that all the wishes of the devotees are fulfilled by prayers at this shrine.

        The idol of the Mother Velankanni with her infant Jesus in her arms; is a beautiful one that evokes bliss and contentment. Devotees sit down on the floor or kneel down and pray and meditate in front of the altar. There is no formality here. Two bowls of the holy water are attached to the doors on either side, and devotees can dip their hands in them and seek blessings.

       The devotees may fill in a form by tick-marking their desired wishes against those mentioned point-wise in the form. This form must then be folded and put inside the box. This divine wish-list lists all material and spiritual desires such as freedom from debts, gaining wealth, marriage, children, peace of mind for self and family, etc. My husband and I filled these forms and meditated awhile, soaking in the divine and fragrant atmosphere there. We also lit candles at the altar.

       The candles and cradles can be bought at separate counters outside the church.

                                                       In front of the church!

      We clicked some snaps and started our return journey. It was 6 p.m. Just then, we heard gongs and cymbals accompanying the chorus prayer song. The evening prayer procession had just begun. Though we’d have liked to join it, and also explore the Nagapattinam beach; we couldn’t, as we had a long journey of nearly 6 hours to reach Puducherry.

       We changed buses at Chidambaram, then at a bypass near Puducherry and reached Puducherry bus-stand at 11.15 p.m. We were surprised to see women traveling alone at that late hour, by bus, decked up in gold ornaments! It said a lot about the absolute safety there. Women are respected and there’s no eve-teasing or attempts at robbery.

      We hailed an auto and reached our guest-house, tired but happy. Our mission was accomplished and we had reluctantly returned from heaven to earth!

The copyright of this travelogue and photographs is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

This review has also been published at www.tripadvisor.com.

*******************************************************************************************

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Pune

Priya's Vision Academy wishes everyone a Merry Christmas! May Santa Claus bring loads of goodies, peace, contentment and fun into everyone's lives!

All the readers are welcome to enroll for our online courses and feel the difference in their careers and lives.

Priya's Vision Academy - Makes Your Life Blossom.

Story titled 'Unfinished Business' in my e-book titled 'The Celestial Souls of Khambetka'

                                                           FOREWORD

          We often go through our lives with lots of fear and anxiety, hopes and ambitions, desires and wishes. Some wishes may be fulfilled during our lifetime and others may remain pipe-dreams!

          Do some paranormal experiences jolt us out of our mundane routine? Does a divine entity, sometimes, enable us to accomplish our desires in our lifetime itself? What happens when a lifetime isn’t enough to do all the things that we want to do? Or atone for our sins? Do we return to earth invisibly and finish our work?

          The paranormal stories in this novel delve into all these aspects. Above all, these stories have soul!

          Read on to discover new dimensions of the soul…

Excerpt from the story titled 'Unfinished Business' in my e-book titled 'The Celestial Souls of Khambetka'

                                                Unfinished Business

             I had earlier avoided the irresistible urge to break out into peals of laughter when a lady

 Executive Director had attempted sitting on a chair on which I was seated. I had quickly slid down and

 vacated the chair, just in the nick of time! Then I had safely hung from the railing of the navy-blue

 velvet curtains that swathed the huge windows of the board-room. I could peer down at the deceitful,

 unethical gang of people without an iota of conscience...

           Of course, they weren’t the same persons, per se, but persons occupying those posts! The Managing Board of Directors of ‘The Life Company’. Probably, the chair corrupted the person occupying it, I thought. Or on other thoughts, power! Unbridled power!

           I could only sneer at the selfish, unscrupulous, rude and arrogant people disguised as civil, sophisticated business magnates! Corporate sharks. My upbringing couldn’t make me swear at them, raise a hand on them or harm them in any way. I was way too civilized for that!

                                                               END OF EXCERPT

     

Intrigued? Do buy and read this e-book, available for just $1.99 at www.amazon.com till 22nd December, 2025, under a Kindle Countdown Deal. Hurry! Only 2 days left, including today!

Please don't forget to post your invaluable reviews at Amazon.com. Thanks. Priya

                                  This book has received a 5 star rating at Goodreads.com.

                        The copyright of this book is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

The Celestial Souls of Khambetka - An excerpt from 'The Music Prodigy" short story

  

Excerpt from the story titled 'The Music Prodigy' in my e-book titled 'The Celestial Souls of Khambetka'

                                                The Music Prodigy

               Several heads, some bald, some with luscious locks and others, with smart coiffure; turned around with bated breath to look at me as I majestically walked up the aisle to the steps leading up to the stage. I felt like a model on the cat-walk!

              All eyes were riveted on me as I stood up on the stage for a moment, preening in my borrowed glory, raising my hands as if willing them to give me a standing ovation! And I hadn’t actually started performing as yet! On second thoughts, I was already performing, wasn’t I?

              I could see the play’s director, Mahadev Devasthali, cheering loudly for me, clapping and whistling, along with the amazed audience. I hoped that I could live up to his expectations that evening.

                                                               END OF THE EXCERPT

     

Intrigued? Do buy and read this e-book, available for just $1.99 at www.amazon.com till 22nd December, 2025, under a Kindle Countdown Deal. Hurry! Only 3 days left...

                                  This book has received a 5 star rating at Goodreads.com.

                        The copyright of this book is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

The Celestial Souls of Khambetka - An Excerpt

 Excerpt from the story titled 'My big boss up there!' in my e-book titled 

                                   The Celestial Souls of Khambetka 

     Manoj would remark, “It’s high time you stopped looking at your father’s photo! Now you should be looking at mine!”

     He started keeping an unbearably repulsive, close-up shot of his, in an equally hideous and unimaginative frame, on our bedside table. I had politely declined to frame one of our ‘lovey-dovey’ shots from our honeymoon, as it was something that I didn’t want to be reminded of!

     I just softly told him, “That’s personal Manoj. Let it remain only between the two of us. A private remembrance!” Inwardly, I snidely remarked, “A private joke!”

     Surprisingly, Manoj hadn’t persisted. He had instead, plastered the walls and the cupboards’ doors with huge posters of .....

     They were definitely a ‘better-watch’ than his plain Jane of a wife! Needless to say, there was no love lost between the two of us.

                                                         END OF THE EXCERPT

     

Intrigued? Do buy and read this e-book, available for just $1.99 at www.amazon.com till 22nd December, 2025, under a Kindle Countdown Deal. Hurry!

 

                                   This book has got a 5 star rating at www.goodreads.com.
     

This interesting collage has been created by me with the help of Canva.com. Thank you, Canva!

     Your precious online reviews are most welcome!

     Thanks in anticipation!

                                                                                 Priya