The Chola temple of Chidambaram is a significant architectural and religious site in South India. To understand its religious affiliation, it's important to look at the deities it houses and the historical context of the Chola dynasty's religious patronage.

Chola Temple and Religious Affiliation

The Chola temple at Chidambaram, famously known as the Thillai Nataraja Temple, is primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva in his dancing form, Nataraja. The Chola dynasty, known for its extensive temple building activities, largely patronized Shaivism, which is the worship of Lord Shiva. Many grand temples built by the Cholas, including the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur and the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple, are dedicated to Shiva.

Nayanars: Devotees of Shiva

The Nayanars were a group of 63 Tamil Shaivite poet-saints who lived between the 6th and 9th centuries CE. They played a crucial role in the Bhakti movement in South India, advocating for intense devotion to Lord Shiva. Their hymns, compiled into the 'Tirumurai', are revered scriptures in Shaivism. Given that the Chidambaram temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva (Nataraja), it naturally aligns with the religious tradition championed by the Nayanars.

• The Nayanars preached a path of devotion (bhakti) to Shiva, making Shaivism accessible to all.
• Their songs and poems praise various forms and exploits of Shiva, reinforcing the worship of the deity.
• The association of the Chola temple of Chidambaram with Lord Shiva directly connects it to the Shaivite tradition and the Nayanars.

Alvars: Devotees of Vishnu

The Alvars were contemporary to the Nayanars but belonged to the Vaishnavite tradition, meaning they were devotees of Lord Vishnu and his avatars. Their devotional hymns, known as the 'Divya Prabandha', are central to Vaishnavism in South India. While both Nayanars and Alvars were part of the Bhakti movement, they represented distinct religious groups focusing on different principal deities.

• The Alvars focused solely on the worship of Vishnu.
• Since the Chola temple of Chidambaram is a Shiva temple, it does not belong to the Alvars' religious group.

Jaina and Vedic Traditions

The Jaina tradition is an ancient Indian religion that emphasizes non-violence towards all living beings. While Jainism was present in South India during and before the Chola period, the Chola temple of Chidambaram is not a Jaina temple. Similarly, the Vedic tradition refers to the ancient religious practices and philosophies based on the Vedas, which predate the organised temple-centric worship and the Bhakti movement as seen in the Chola period. The Chola temple of Chidambaram, being a prominent Hindu temple from the medieval period, is distinct from the primary focus of Jaina or purely Vedic religious groups.

Therefore, based on its dedication to Lord Shiva and the historical patronage of the Chola dynasty, the Chola temple of Chidambaram belongs to the Nayanars religious group, representing Shaivism.