Thillai Kaali Amman kovil — Attraction in Tamil Nadu

Temple Famous for : In this temple, Mother Thillai Kali appears with four faces. She is facing west in a standing posture. Lord Dakshinamurthi appears in female form praised as Sri Kadambavana Dakshina Rupini grace the devotees from their shrines in the prakara. Chidambaram also known as Thillai is one of the Panchabhoota Sthalams representing five basic elements. One of the five dancing halls (Sabha) of Nataraja, Chidambaram is the Kanaka Sabha and is dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of the Cosmic Dancer. According to myothology, once a debate arose between Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi as to, who was more powerful among them. Lord Shiva claimed he was. Goddess Parvathi was too strong in her defence to establish her claim. Lord Shiva got angry, he cursed her to become an Ukra Kali. After that Goddess realizied her mistake, and begged Shiva for a remedy. Then Lord Shiva said that Shakthi as Ukra Kali will destroy the demons and protect Devas and men. He also asked her to perform penance for him in the Thillai (now Chidambaram). He performed a grant Ananda dance darshan to sages Patanjali and Vyakrapada. At that time, Shakthi joined as Shivakami . Thillai Kali is also known as Ellai Kali. Ellai means border, ie.,Kali at the border of Thillai. Those visiting Chidambaram temple, complete the pilgrimage with worship of Thillaikali. Lord Shiva and mother Shakthi had a dancing competition among themselves. Lord Shiva played his furious Ugra Thandava and raised his legs upward at a stage and asked Shakthi if she could play this. Shakthi could not do this, due to the inborn feminine traits. She became furious as she was defeated. Lord Brahma appeared there, praised Kali as Veda Nayaki and begged her to calm down with four faces representing the four Vedas. Kali responded to Brahma’s prayer and appeared before to him as Brahma Chamundeeswari.

Goddess Thillai Kali graces the devotees with four faces from a separate shrine. Rarely, devotees can find, Lord Dakshinamurthy in a female form praised as Sri Kadambavana Dakshina Rupini. Goddess Maha Saraswathi blesses the devotees as Veena Vidyambica.

Mother Thillaikali is the deity for Magam Star. So, it is belived that, those born in this star pray to her with abishekam and archanas to realise their wishes. The presiding deity of this temple is Sri Thillai Kali Amman. She is also known as Sri Thillai Amman, Sri Vada Badhira Kali and Sri Brahma...

After visiting the Chidambaram Natarajar Temple, we visited the nearby Thillai Kali Amman Temple — a truly peaceful and spiritual place. The main deity, Kali Amman, looked divine, and on the left side, there’s a powerful idol completely covered in kumkum except for the eyes — a unique and intense sight.

The evening visit felt very special, and the temple wasn’t too crowded. Parking is available near the temple, and we were charged ₹30. Definitely worth visiting if you're in Chidambaram!

History about the temple

The temple is on the outskirts of the city of Chidambaram. Legend says that the goddess Kali (a form of Parvati) moved here after losing to the god Shiva in the celestial dance contest.

It was an argument that who is superior, either Shiva or his wife Parvati. In order to resolve thus, they performed a dance program at Chidambaram in front of Vishnu, Brahma and other deities. While they were playing dance, Shiva was about to be defeated

Shiva performed the Urdhva Tandava posture, i.e. raising one leg above his head and challenged Parvati to replicate it. Due to her modesty and shyness, Parvati refused and agreed her defeat.

Parvati in anger assumed her ferocious form Kali and left Chidambaram (Thillai) and settled outside the town borders. Thus, she is worshipped as Thillai Kali here. Her anger was pacified by Brahma by chanting the Veda and praising her.

Kali was pleased and assumed a benign form with four heads similar to Brahma and known as Thillai Amman (Mother of Thillai) or Brahma Chamundeeswari.

There are two main shrines in the temple. The west-facing shrine depicts the goddess in his benign four-faced form Brahma Chamundeeswari.

In the east-facing shrine, the goddess appears in her ferocious form called Thillai Kali.

The other important shrines are for goddess Saraswati as Veena Vidyambigai and for Dakshinamurthy (a form of Shiva) where he has a female form called Kadambavana...

Thillai Kaali Amman Kovil, located just about a kilometre from the iconic Thillai Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram, is a spiritually intense and historically significant temple that often goes unnoticed by casual visitors — but it absolutely deserves a visit. Built during the Chola era, this temple is steeped in legend and power, dedicated to Goddess Kali in her fierce and protective form.

According to local lore, after the cosmic dance competition between Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali, where Shiva was declared the victor, Kali chose to settle just outside the temple town, and this temple marks that divine moment. The energy here is markedly different — raw, powerful, and deeply feminine. Devotees come with offerings of kumkum and lemons, praying for protection, strength, and the removal of obstacles. The spiritual atmosphere is palpable, and it’s not uncommon to feel a strong sense of connection or inner stirring while standing before the deity.

The temple has two sanctums — one where Kali is depicted in her fierce form facing east, and another where she is calmer, facing west as Brahma Chamundeeswari. Both forms reflect the goddess’s dual nature of ferocity and compassion, giving devotees a space to connect based on their own emotional and spiritual needs.

There’s ample parking available near the temple, which makes the visit hassle-free, especially for those driving in from out of town. The temple complex is modest in size compared to Thillai Nataraja, but what it lacks in scale, it makes up for in intensity and authenticity. The only downside is that cleanliness could definitely be improved, particularly around the entrance and general pathways — something the temple management should take more seriously given the steady stream of devotees.

All said, if you’re in Chidambaram, this is not just a side trip — it’s an essential spiritual stop. The experience is raw, real, and rooted deeply in Tamil...