Chidambaram Nataraja Temple in Tamil Nadu, India

Ornate figures of Hindu deities adorn the gopuram (tower) of the Nataraja Temple complex in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The Chidambaram Nataraja temple or Thillai Nataraja temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Nataraja (Shiva as the lord of dance) and was built in the 10th century during the Chola dynasty, making it one of the oldest surviving active temple complexes in South India. The temple is also a well known site for performance arts, including the annual Natyanjali dance festival held during Maha Shivaratri. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images)