A Siva temple associated with Chidambaram

Among the ancient Siva temples around Thiruvallur is the Chidambareshwarar temple in a small village called Thottikalai. It is said that God Brahma worshipped Siva here and got the amrita kalasam (pot of nectar). Hence, Siva here is also worshipped as Kalasa Thyagar. The main entrance to the temple is on the east, but is without a gopuram . On the lintel above the door leading to the principal shrine is a stone panel profusely carved. In the centre is Nataraja performing the Urdhva Tandava (leg lifted vertically above the head). The divine dancer is depicted with Shanmukha (Arumugha), Narada, and Kali on one side; and Brahma, Nandikeshwara, and Tumburu on the other. Nataraja has the left leg uplifted as seen in the famous Vataranyeshwarar temple in Thiruvalangadu, which is about 28 km from Thottikalai. The Vataranyeshwarar temple is believed to be the place where Nataraja and Kali danced, and since the former performed the Urdhva Tandava , which Goddess Kali did not want to imitate, she lost the competition. A similar Sthala Puranam is known from the famous Nataraja temple in Chidambaram too. Hence the name Chidambareshwarar. The Lingam, worshipped as Chidambareshwarar, enshrined in the principal sanctum, is small in size. The inner prakaram around this sanctum has images of Surya, Chandra, Nalvar (the three Nayanmars Appar, Thirugnanasambandar, and Sundaramurti, and also Manikkavachakar); Subramanya with Valli and Devasena; Bhairava and others. The devakoshtas (niches on the outer walls of the sanctum) have Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Durga. The mandapam in front of this sanctum, of the Vijayanagara style of architecture, has some interesting sculptures on the pillars and a beautiful carved panel with images of various deities, including the Ashta-Dikpalakas (guardians of the eight directions) on the ceiling. To the right of this mandapam is the sanctum for Goddess Sivakami Amman, consort of Chidambareswarar. The temple also has a vasanta mandapam where the abhisekam for Nataraja and Sivakami Amman is performed. The pushkarini (temple-tank) outside the entrance is called Sivagangai and Nandi Odai. Another temple close to the Chidambareswarar shrine in Thottikalai is for Kesava Perumal (God Vishnu). This east-facing temple is unfortunately in a dilapidated condition. The presiding deity is in a standing pose holding the sankha and chakra in the upper hands, while the lower right hand is in abhaya hasta (blessing devotees) and the lower left hand in kati-hasta (resting on the waist). He is flanked by Goddess Sridevi and Bhudevi. On either side of the doorway to the main sanctum are a pair of beautiful stone dvarapalakas (door guardians), and next to them, on either side, are images of the eminent Srivaishnava acharyas (preceptors) Ramanujacharya and Manavala Mamuni. The shrines for Goddess Perundevi Thayar (Lakshmi) and Andal in the Kesava Perumal temple in Thottikalai are in a state of utter disrepair. Thottikalai is about 10 km from Thiruvallur and about 40 km from Chennai.