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What is happening at Chidambaram?
What is happening at the famous Natarajar
Temple at Chidambaram?
It is one of the most ancient and most
celebrated of shrines in India. It is of great religious as well
as historic and cultural significance. Chidambaram is associated
with Nataraja, or Shiva in his Ananda Tandava pose (the Cosmic
Dance of bliss) in the cosmic golden hall and the hall of
consciousness (Chit Sabha). Shiva is also worshipped in the
"formless form" of the Chidambara Rahasyam, while the temple is
known for its Akasa Lingam, an embodiment of Shiva as the
formless Space.
Of all the arts, Dance is the most sublime. It is only in Dance
that you cannot separate the dancer from the dance. The creator
and the created are the same, inseparable. That is the
foundation of Indian philosophy.
The worship protocol here is unique. It is said to have been
prescribed by Patanjali. It is an age-old protocol followed for
several centuries, in fact from time immemorial. Right or wrong,
every temple has a tradition of its own. It is as sacred as the
deity itself. The deity gets its divine strength only from the
worship that is offered.
The Dikshitars have a case. They dont say
that no thevaram should be recited there. They say that
according to the prescribed worship protocol, it cannot be
recited from the Chitrambala dais. Othuvar Arumugaswami insists
that he would render it only from the dais.
The matter went to the court, which directed
the government to find a solution. Accordingly the Government
considered the matter and endorsed the view of the Asst
Commissioner of HR&CE. It was decided that the othuvar can
recite it in the temple.
Othuvar Arumugaswami need not have made it an
issue. He could have come to the temple like any devotee and
paid his obeisance in the way that he wanted to do. After all,
prayer is between him and the Lord. He need not have come there
on elephant-back , in a procession.
The ordinary devotee is not concerned with
this prestige issue. It is the duty of any responsible
Government to ensure that the devotees are able to worship in
peace.
Ramakrishnan
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