Assault on Chidambaram Dikshitars before Mahashivatri- An SOS from Chidambaram

3rd March. 2008: Chidambaram, Tamilnadu
 
With reference to TV (Sun TV & Jaya TV)dated 2nd & 3rd  March 2008 on the arrest of 15 Dikshitars of Chidambaram Nataraja Temple , Hindu Voice Mumbai dispatched a team to spot investigation. The arrest of 15 Dikshitars before Holy Shivarathri reminds of us of the arrest of Kanchi Acharya before Deepavali, 2004.
 
The temple town of Chidambaram, lies 58 km south of Pondicherry is dedicated, with a beautiful temple, dedicated to Lord Nataraja – in the form of a Cosmic Dancer. This is one of the few temples, where Shiva and Vishnu are enshrined under one roof. Chidambaram is also called Thillai, since the place was originally a forest of Thillai shrub forest. Chidambaram is also known as Thillai, since the place was originally a forest of Thillai (excecaria agallecha) shrub. It is one of the five Shaivite mukti sthalams (designated places of liberation). The other four Kalahasti, Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai and Tiruvanaikaval are also within few hundred kilometers from each. A unique feature of Chidambaram is that a person of any race or religion can visit the shrine and pray not only Hindus.  It is an important pilgrim centre and a holy place for Shaivite as the famous Nataraja Temple is located here.
 
Administration and Management of the Thillai (Chidambaram) Nataraja Temple, which is the holiest of the holy Shiva Temple vest with the Dikshitars of Thillai (Chidambaram) . The HR & CE department cannot exercise any Jurisitiction over them, neither can the State Government give Directions to anyone .These facts have been established beyond doubt by the Supreme Court of India. Dikshitars are micro-minority community in India. Their total number does not exceed even 250. I spoke to one of the senior Dikshitars aged 82, who was weeping wanted to send “an SOS – from Chidambaram Nataraja Temple to Hindus across the world”.
 
 
Issue: The Dikshitars themselves recite the Hymns of Thevaram (Tamil Shaivite hymns during the termination of Kala poojas. They do so by standing on the “kanakasabai”.  This right cannot be claimed by anybody else. A devotee wanting to sing Thevaram can choose a place outside Kanakasabai. Problems arose when a few people forced themselves into kanakasabai to recite Thevaram. Initially the police prevented it and arrested the persons who made such a forced entry. However after a passage of a few hours they have arrested 15 Dikshitars invoking section 307 of IPC as if they have attempted to murder people.  These police actions against Dikshitars have made it impossible for the Dikshitars to conduct their Poojas and Aradana during Shivarathri which falls on 6th March 2008 for Chidambaram Tradition. Maha Shivarathri is the most important day for the Shivites .Now confusion prevails for no fault of Dikshitars, who braved the police aggression and DMK, DK, PMK hooligans, so called Human Rights groups, and lawyers some have also been arrested when they tried to throw stones on the police. May lord of dance save Hinduism from getting imperilled.

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