Arudra Darshan observed in Dec/Jan.
Arudra signifies the golden red flame and Lord Shiva performs the dance in the form of this red-flamed light.
Cosmic dance of Lord Shiva is called 'Anandatandava,' Dance of Bliss, and symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction +
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It also symbolises the daily rhythm of birth and death. Thus, Lord Shiva in the form of Nataraja takes away the ignorance from our minds through the divine act of dance.
Symbolism Of Nataraja Dancing, is seen as a way to unite with the Creator. ++
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Arudra Darshan is of great importance at the Chidambaram Nataraja
Temple in his Ananda Tandava pose. Legend has it that Lord Shiva performed the cosmic dance in Nataraja form at Chidambaram for his devotees Adi Shesha and Vyagrapaadar. ++
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Adishesha, the seven-headed serpent on whom Lord Vishnu rests in Milky Ocean, wanted to witness this divine dance of creation after hearing about it from Lord Shiva. Vyagrapaadar was a devotee of Lord Shiva who performed penance to witness Ananda Tandava. ++
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Lord Shiva granted their request and performed it at Chidambaram.
The Ananda Thandavam of Shiva – popularly called Nataraja is said to symbolize the five divine acts (pancha krityas) of creation: sustenance, dissolution, removal or concealment, and liberation/Moksha ++
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This cosmic dance takes place in every particle and is the source of all energy.
Arudra Darshan celebrates this ecstatic dance of Lord Shiva. He is worshipped in Chidambaram Temple as Akasa Lingam, in the ‘formless form’ which is popularly called the Chidambara Rahasyam ++