Chidambara Swamigal is a saint poet from Tamil Nadu devoted Muruga. He was the last of the four saints who propagated Virashaivism in Tamil Nadu, the other three being Shivaprakasha Swamigal, Santhalinga Swamigal and Kumara Devar.
Chidambara Swamigal, also known as Chidambara Kavirayar before he became an ascetic, was born in Madurai in the later part of the 17th century CE. He learnt the philosophy of Virashaivism from Kumara Devar.
He completed the commentaries on the five works on Virashaivism by Santhalinga Swamigal, namely Kolai Mauttal, Vairagya Shatakam, Vairagya Deepam, Avirodha Undiyar and Oli Vilodukkam. He composed Meenakshi Amman Kalivenba in praise of the deity of Madurai.
Goddess Meenakshi appeared in his dream and directed him to proceed towards north to a village, Porur, where a temple of Muruga was in ruins, and had to be rebuilt. Chidambara Swamigal reached Porur found Bhagavan Muruga in the form of a swayambhu icon under a palmyra tree. He was able to visualize the original temple that existed before and began to reconstruct the same. He also constructed a matha near the temple, which is now known as Chidambara Swamigal Matham.
After finishing the construction of the temple he also composed a prayer sequence for the devotees called Tirupporur Sannidhi Murai. It reflects his ardent devotion to Bhagavan Muruga and his experience of the divine.