Songs of Chidambaram

Songs of ChidambaramWe submit this Songs (Chidambaram Geetham) at the feet of the Lord of Chidambaram. These songs were composed by Kavi Yogi Shuddhananda Bharati for his own meditation and worship. Today, Tamil Nadu is celebrating the magnificence of these compositions: these songs are being presented in many music concerts and played on the radio and concerts. Some words about the meaning of Chidambaram. Chidambaram (Tillai) is one of the most ancient and most celebrated shrines in India, located in Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu. It is of great religious as well as historic and cultural significance. Chidambaram is associated with Lord Nataraja or Shiva in his “Ananda Tandava” pose (the cosmic dance of bliss) in the cosmic Golden Hall and the Hall of Consciousness (‘Chit Sa-bha’). Lord Shiva is worshipped here in the “formless form” of the Chidambara Rahasyam, and the temple is known for its Akasha Lingam (Sky Lingam), an embodiment of Shiva as formless space. This is one of the few temples where Shiva and Vishnu are enshrined under one roof. Chidambaram is also known as Tillai Ambalam.Bowing to the wishes of the eminent classical Tamil expert and patron of the Tamil music movement, the Raja of Chettinad Dr. Sir Annamalai Chettiar, Swami had sent these compositions to Annamalai University. The Raja of Chettinad expressed his appreciation of these songs to the university faculty, listened to musicians singing these compositions and conveyed his happiness and encouragement to Swami in several letters. We are eternally grateful for his love and enthusiasm extended for the publication of this book!We express our gratitude to the Registrar of Annamalai University Sri N. Viswanatha Iyer M.A., L.T., who has contributed greatly to propagate these songs with the help of many eminent musicians. The photographs of the holy temple of Chidambaram and the image of Lord Nataraja included at the beginning of this book are newly taken and sent to us with the kind consent of the Raja of Chettinad upon our request; we express our gratitude to his magnanimity.The Lord Nataraja worshipped by him is the benevolent God worthy of worship by all religions; everyone’s heart is Thillai; the beloved light dancing there is Nataraja. Read its explanation in the book “Nataraja Upasanai”. All the secrets perceived by sages skilled in the Vedas and the Agamas, all the arts including dance, music and beauty, all the significance of Vedanta and Siddhanta and all the practices to attain pure, true enlightenment shine bright in Nataraja’s form. He who is endowed with the arm that bestows grace, the hand that nurtures the divine flame, the hand that shows the sacred feet, the Vedic hand that beats the drum to create music, the holy raised foot offering refuge to devotees, the benign divine face filled with the glow of blissful light our hearts melt with love thinking about our Father and Mother that is Lord Nataraja. Editions ASSA, Christian Piaget