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Kanchipuram

Situated in the northern part of Tamil Nadu, Kanchipuram is the city of thousand temples and one of the seven most sacred pilgrim centres for the Hindus. Even today, there remains about 126 temples in Kanchi and a few more in its outskirts. The city was the capital of the early Cholas as far back as the 2nd century BC and a Pallava capital between the 6th and 8th centuries.

Given its notable past, it is not surprising that Kanchi was a major seat of Tamil learning as well as an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. Today, apart from its temples, the small town of Kanchipuram is also renown for its growing handloom industry and lovely silk sarees.
 

Major Tourist Attractions in Kanchipuram

» The Ekambaranathar Temple
The Ekambaranathar Temple in the city was built by the Pallavas and was later reconstructed by the Chola and Vijayanagar kings. Lord Shiva is worshiped here as Prithvi (earth), one of the five basic elements of the physical world. The dimensions of the temple are reflected in its 20-acre spread and its tall south Gopuram, which soars to a height of 58.5 m. The temple has 11 stories and one of the tallest temple towers in South India. The structure is decorated with beautiful sculptures.

» The Vaikunta Perumal Temple
The Vaikunta Perumal Temple was established in the 8th century AD by Nandivarma Pallava. There are beautiful carvings of battle scenes depicting Pallava valour on the panels surrounding the main parikrama of this Vaishnavite temple.

» The Varadaraja Temple
The Varadaraja Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is worshipped as Devarajaswamy here. This temple, which has a 100-pillared hall, was built by the Vijayanagar kings and displays the mastery of their artists.

» The Kailasanathar Temple
The Kailasanathar Temple was erected in the 8th century AD by the Pallava kings and has an attractive panel depicting Shiva and Parvati in the midst of one of their innumerable dance competitions. The architecture of this temple is very similar to the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram.

» The Kamakshi Amman Temple
The Kamakshi Amman Temple has an imposing structure and is dedicated to goddess Parvati in her incarnation as Kamakshi, the goddess of Love.