Shiva Temple, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India Editorial Image

The great Chidambaram temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva in his form of the cosmic Dancer. It is said to be the birthplace of Shiva as the dancer (Nataraja) and therefore one of the most important temples in India. The place where the temple is located is the center point of world's magnetic equator and thus considered to be the center of the world. The Shiva temple in Chidambaram is also one of the very few shrines in South India, where foreigners are allowed inside without any restrictions. It is a great experience to witness one of the many rituals held daily in the temple.