Kanchipuram Travel Guide

Kanchipuram  city of thousand temples, Kanchipuram is simply awe-inspiring in its heritage. Not surprisingly, it is one of India’s favourite pilgrim destinations.
It is also called Siva Vishnu Kanchi. The city has stood witness to the rise and fall of most Dravidian rulers including the Pallavas, Cholas and Vijaynagar kings.
One of Hinduism’s seven most sacred cities ‘The golden city of a thousand temples’ dates from the early Cholas in the 2nd century. Buddhism is believed to reach the area in the 3rd century BC Asokan Stupas remain. Successive dynasties made it their capital and built over a hundred temples, the first as early as the 4th century. In addition to being a piligrimage centre, it was the centre of learning, culture and philosophy. Sankaracharya  and  the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma  lived and worked here.

The temple town of Kanchipuram is famous for its temples and its hand woven silk and Zari (hand spun gold thread.). From the 16th century silk weavers have used high quality mulberry silk from neighbouring Karnataka and pure gold thread woven in beautiful  colours and patterns on their  handlooms. Nowadays, about 20,000 work with silk and another 10,000 with cotton.

Places of attraction

Ekambareshvara Temple is about the largest temple in Kanchipuram dedicated to Lord Siva. Its 59mts. high Gopuram constructed in 1509 by Krishna Devaraja is awesome. The temple itself covers 9 hectares and amongst its spectacular attractions are the 1000 pillar hall and a 3500-year old mango tree with branches representing the 4 Vedas. The temple is said to have been named after the tree-Eka Amra Nathar-Lord of the Mango Tree.

Dedicated to Shiva in his ascetic form it was begun by the pallavas and developed by the Cholas. The main sanctuary has lingam made of earth and the story of its origin is told on a carved panel. The largest and possibly the most atmospheric of Kanchipuram’s temples its historical connections include Acrot campaign when it served as a fortress.

Vaikunta PerumalTemple has Vaishnavite origins dating back to the 18th century built by the Pallava King Nandivarman. Dedicated to Vishnu this temple was built shortly  after the Kailasanatha temple. The cloisters inside the outer wall consist of lion pillars  and are representative of the first phase in the architectural evolution of the grand 1000-pillared  halls. The main shrine on three levels contains images of Vishnu in standing sitting and reclining position.

Kamakshi  Amman Temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvathi as she awaited  here for Lord  Siva. The 14th century temple was built by the Cholas and has a wooden carriage on which processions are taken out. It is one of the three holiest places of Shakti worship.

There is a shrine to Sri Sankara who founded a monastery   and a golden Gopuram. To the right of the temple’s entrance is the marriage hall which has wonderful ornate pillars and directly ahead is the main shrine topped with gold. Each February/March wooden carriages housing statues of deities are hauled through the streets in a most colourful  procession. The goddess birthday is in October/November.

Devarajaswami Temple (Varadaraja) is an enormous monument and its main attraction is a huge link chain carved out of single piece of stone dedicated to Lord Vishnu by the Vijayanagara Kings. It has a beautifully sculptured pillared has as well as a marriage hall commemorating the wedding of Vishnu and Lakshmi. One of the temple’s most notable features is a huge chain carved from a single piece of stone. Every 40 years the waters of the temple tank are drained revealing  a huge statue of Vishnu.

Kailasnath Temple is a Pallava creation from the 8th century and has a beautiful panel depicting Siva and Parvati in ‘Nritya’ (dance) .This is the oldest temple in Kanchi.

Reflecting  the freshness of early  Dravidian  architecture  it was built  by the Pallava  King Rayasimha  in the late 7th century  though its front was added  later by his  son. King Verman III.