A unique tradition dating back to India’s Independence continues at the historic Chidambaram Sri Nataraja Temple in Tamil Nadu, where the national Tricolour was hoisted atop the temple’s 142-foot-tall Eastern Rajagopuram today (August 15), as part of the Independence Day celebrations.
The event starts early in the morning. Temple archakas, mostly Dikshithars, a denomination that has managed the temple for centuries, place the national flag on a silver plate and perform a special puja at the feet of Bhagwan Nataraja and Sivakamasundari. It is accompanied by traditional drum beats (mela thalam) and band music. Temple authorities and Podhu Dikshithars carry the flag in a grand procession.
A ritual done every year at Nataraja temple Chidambaram on Independence Day ❤️
A beautiful confluence of faith, tradition and patriotism ,celebrating Bharat in the most divine way 🙏
Jai Hind. Vande Mataram🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/diFvXkpCnl
— Viक़as (@VlKAS_PR0NAM0) August 15, 2026
Then the flag hoisting starts. The tricolour is hoisted at Rajagopuram (main tower) amid the singing of the national anthem and the distribution of sweets to devotees.
It is learnt that this is among the prominent ancient temples that formally integrates the national flag hoisting into its daily ritual protocol on Independence Day and Republic Day.
It is pertinent to note that the temple administration also famously demonstrated its national loyalty during the 1962 war with China by contributing a large quantity of gold to the National Defence Fund. At that time, the administration of Nataraja Temple at Chidambaram sent a large quantity of gold and silver to the Reserve Bank. Later, when the war stopped, the gold was returned to the temple.
Reportedly, there have been attempts by Dravidian parties to take over this temple by hook or crook, but they failed. Even during the DMK’s last regime, many attempts were made, like the child marriage issue, not all devotees being allowed to have darshan at a platform and maladministration, etc.
Chidambaram – a Panchabhoota sthalam and the only temple where Bhagwan Shiva is represented by an anthropomorphic idol rather than a Lingam. Bhagwan Shiva is worshipped in His formless form. This ancient temple has the practice of hoisting our national flag at the 152-foot-high pole of the Eastern Gopuram since the time Bharat got independence.
Temple activist TR Ramesh, in a post on X, said: “The ancient temple of Sri Nataraja in Chidambaram, TN managed by the Sampradaya of Podu Dikshitars – the only temple that hoists our National Flag atop its Gopuram on every Independence Day and Republic Day for past many Decades. Har Mandir Tiranga.”
The ancient temple of Sri Nataraja in Chidambaram, TN managed by the Sampradaya of Podu Dikshitars – the only temple that hoists our National Flag atop its Gopuram on every Independence Day and Republic Day for past many Decades. Har Mandir Tiranga – @narendramodi @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/npTJjrrVgk
— trramesh (@trramesh) August 3, 2022
In another development, Madras High Court Justice V Lakshminarayanan, on August 14, asked the TVK government, “is carrying the national tiranga flag in a procession a sinful act?”
The Court said whether Coimbatore, where permission for a procession was denied by the local authorities, was part of Pakistan or Afghanistan, as restrictions were imposed against carrying the national flag during a procession.
The Court made these observations while hearing a petition filed by J Rameshkumar, a BJP functionary, challenging the denial of permission for an Independence Day rally on August 15. The Court said, “freedom fighter Tiruppur Kumara died holding the national flag during the freedom struggle. In such a country, (Tirupur is near to Coimbatore) why should there be a restriction on carrying the national flag?”
The Court asked whether permission was being given only to the ruling TVK. The Court directed the police to give permission for the rally on August 18 from ARC Junction to Mettupalayam Road to Chintamani from 4 pm to 7 pm.
The TVK government attempted to justify the denial of permission to the petitioner, stating that the conduct of the rally on a major road which was a crowded area, with schools, colleges and a bus stop, and permission could not be granted due to the possibility of law-and-order issues.
Earlier, the DMK government was citing similar reasons for RSS and national flag marches. It appears that the TVK is following in the same footsteps of its predecessor in denying permission to BJP. They use the excuse that the route has churches, mosques and minority-dominated areas despite SC and HC orders that such reasons could not be valid to deny permission.
