Thillai Kali Amman Temple – Chidambaram
Thillai Kali Amman Temple is located on the
outskirts of Chidambaram town in Cuddalore district of Tamilnadu State.
Kali Amman is an incarnation of Parvati Devi
Legend says that the goddess Kali (a form of
Parvati) moved here after losing to the god Shiva in the celestial dance
contest.
It was an argument that who is superior, either
Shiva or his wife Parvati. In order to resolve thus, they performed a dance
program at Chidambaram in front of Vishnu, Brahma and other deities. While they
were playing dance, Shiva was about to be defeated.
Shiva performed the Urdhva Tandava posture, i.e.
raising one leg above his head and challenged Parvati to replicate it. Due to
her modesty and shyness, Parvati refused and agreed her defeat.
Parvati in anger assumed her ferocious form Kali
and left Chidambaram (Thillai) and settled outside the town borders. Thus, she
is worshipped as Thillai Kali here. Her anger was pacified by Brahma by
chanting the Veda and praising her.
Kali was pleased and assumed a benign form with
four heads similar to Brahma and known as Thillai Amman (Mother of Thillai) or
Brahma Chamundeeswari.
There are two main shrines in the temple. The
west-facing shrine depicts the goddess in his benign four-faced form Brahma
Chamundeeswari.
In the east-facing shrine, the goddess appears in
her ferocious form called Thillai Kali.
The other important shrines are for goddess
Saraswati as Veena Vidyambigai and for Dakshinamurthy (a form of Shiva) where
he has a female form called Kadambavana Dhakshina Rupini.
This temple was built during the 13th
century
Purattasi Navarathri in September-October is
grandly celebrated in the temple.
"Vaikasi Thiruvizha" is the most famous
festival in this temple. This festival takes place for 13 days during the tamil
month of Vaikasi (mid-May to mid-June).
Timings
6.30 am to 12.00 noon
4.30 pm to 6.30 pm
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