Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram – Raja Sabha
Raja Sabhai or the 1000-pillared hall is to the east of
the Sivaganga pool, in the northeast part of the third courtyard of the Temple complex. A pillared
pathway from the eastern gopuram leads to it. It was a choultry for pilgrims
with a convenient access to the pool. The hall's lower mouldings have dance
mudras and medieval era musical instruments being played by musicians. The
pillars have reliefs. It is now kept closed, except for festivals. This hall is
used for coronation ceremony for Chola Kings.
It is the architectural representation of the Sahasradara,
or Crown Chakra, the seventh spiritual energy point in the astral body. The
Nataraja and the goddess Shivakamasundari, his consort, dance here on the 9th
and 10th day of the Chariot Festival. It is first mentioned as the
place where the medieval poet Sekkilar premiered his great work on the lives of
the 63 Nayanmars or Saiva saints, the Periya Purana, before the Chola king
Kulottunga II or III, in the 12th century.