Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram – Courtyards (Prakarams)
The Nataraja Temple complex contains four prakarams or courtyards. Each of the courtyard has walls
that were defensively fortified after the 14th century plunder and
destruction. The outermost wall around the fourth courtyard has four simple,
insignificant gateways. The walls and gateways of the fourth courtyard were
added in the 16th century by Vijayanagara rulers after they had defeated
the Madurai Sultanate, and this outermost layer was heavily fortified by the
Nayakas in the 17th century. These face the four large gopurams
that are gateways into the third courtyard.
These gopurams are also landmarks from afar. Inside the
third courtyard, near the northern gopuram, is the Sivaganga tank, the thousand
pillar mandapam, the Subramanyar shrine and the shrine for Parvati (as Sivakama
Sundari). The other three gateways are closer to the sanctum. The four gopurams
pilgrims and visitors to enter the temple from all four cardinal directions.
The complex is interconnected through a maze of pathways. The courtyard walls
and gateways are made from cut stones with some brick structure added in. The
gardens and palm groves are in the fourth courtyard.
