Thillai Kali Amman Temple

Thillai Kali Amman Temple stands immediately north of the Nataraja temple complex and is one of the most sacred Shakti shrines in the Chidambaram circuit. Its origin is tied to the famous legend in which Goddess Kali, the protector of the Thillai forest, challenged Lord Shiva to a dance contest to determine who would preside over the sacred ground. When Shiva performed the impossible Urdhva Tandava, raising his leg overhead, Kali conceded and was established in her own shrine at the northern end of the complex. The temple is an essential stop for devotees completing the full Chidambaram darshan.