Chidambaram

History at a glance

1. Puranic
   Shiva performs his cosmic dance in a grove of Tillai trees, witnessed by the sages Patanjali and Vyaghrapada. He is thereafter Sabhanayakar, Lord of the Stage.
2. Ancient
   A Shiva shrine exists at the site when the town is known as Thillai.
3. Pre-13th century
   The complex acquires what Wikipedia calls THE EARLIEST KNOWN AMMAN OR DEVI TEMPLE IN SOUTH INDIA, a Surya shrine with chariot, and one of the earliest known Shiva Ganga sacred pools.
4. 10th century
   Parantaka I is credited with gilding the sanctum roof.
5. Chola and Pandya periods
   The stone complex grows to 40 acres under Chola and Pandya patronage, with later Vijayanagara work.
6. Continuous
   The temple is administered not by the state but by the Dikshitar community — the Thillai Muvayiravar, the Three Thousand of Thillai — every married member a trustee and archaka as of right.

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