Travel Guide - Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram is in the state of Tamil Nadu, and is located on the western bank of the Palar River. Such a location already hints at the impressive scenery that can be seen while in this remarkable city. This city is often referred to as the 'golden city of a thousand temples'. With such a catch phrase associated with Kanchipuram, you automatically know that although there are not literally one thousand temples in the area, there is a vast array of beautiful temples that can be seen. With so many temples, it is no wonder that this city is a popular pilgrimage spot for people who belong to the Hindu religion. Kanchipuram is considered one of the Seven Sacred Cities of India. In this context, it is particularly known for being the seat for bearing culture and philosophy. With such an association being made with this city, it only makes sense that this location has become such a cultural center in modern times. Besides its religious and cultural significances, Kanchipuram is also a strong commerce center. This exceptional city is especially known for producing some of the finest silk in the entire world. Since this city has so much to offer in any way that can be thought of, it is no wonder that it is such a popular tourist stop. Beautiful scenery, historic temples, religious and cultural implications, and outstanding goods like quality silk are all found in one place, and that happening place is Kanchipuram.

When To Go

Kanchipuram has warm summers and pleasant winters. Monsoons during June to September offer heavy rainfalls in the region associated with cool winds. Summers (March to May) have a temperature within the range 21°C to 37°C. Winters are little cooler in the range of temperature 19°C to 29°C.

The festivals that are celebrated with much show and gaiety the Brahmothsavam (January), Garudothsavam (April) and the Chariot festival (May). Pongal during the January is an important festival celebrated with delicious feast and religious prayers and processions. Maha Shivaratri during February-March is another religious festival celebrated in Kanchipuram with devotion and enthusiasm.

Best season to visit Kanchipuram is October to March.

History

History claims Kanchipuram to be one of the oldest cities in South India. Various documentations by Kalidas highlight Kanchipuram, which was then known as Kanchi, to be a city to be one among the best in the medieval times.

Kanchipuram saw their first rulers from the Pallava dynasty, which lasted from 4th to 9th century. The great Husan Tsang is known to have visited this city during the reigns of the Pallavas, who are credited for building the temple attractions of the city. The famous Sanskrity writer Dandin and the founder of Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma were born here.

Accordint to historians, Hsuan Tsang visited Kanchipuram in the 7th century, when the city was only 6 miles in circumference. The people of those times were known for their bravery and piousness along with their love for learning. Buddha is also said to have visited this town.

After the downfall of the Pallava’s empire, Cholas took over the reigns of the city and ruled here from 10th to 13th century. Further the Vijayanagar dynasty ruled on the city from 14th to 17th century, during which they built the architectural splendours of Ekamabaranadhar temple and 100-pillar Mandabam in Varadaraja Perumal temple.

After regular invasions by the Mughals, the city finally slipped into the hands of the British, who establishes their empire and ruled for nearly 3 centuries.

Reference of Kanchipuram can be found in Patanjali's Mahabhashya written in the second century B.C. Manimekalai, the famous Tamil classic and Perumpanatru Padai a great Tamil poetical work have also given a vivid description of the city before the advent of the Christian era.

Travel within city

Travelling around Kanchipuram is quite easy, as there are many buses and auto rickshaws available for travel. Kanchipuram is a very interesting town, with a lot of temples and other tourist favorites.

Bus

Buses are the best mode of transport available in Kanchipuram, and you can reach any part of the town by taking a bus from the main bus stand. Buses in Kanchipuram are not very crowded, and the commute can be comfortable as well. You should ensure that you know the general layout of the town while travelling by bus, just to make sure that you figure out the stops in a right manner. You can also ask the conductor for help, in case you need to know where to disembark. Bus fares are minimal, and you will need to spend around Rs 3 to 5 in order to reach any destination within the town.

Auto Rickshaw

Auto rickshaws are another popular mode of travel in Kanchipuram, and the auto rickshaws in Kanchipuram do not run on meter. Auto drivers may demand any fare that they deem fit, so it is better to talk to the locals and fix up a particular rate without backing down. Travelling through auto rickshaws in Kanchipuram is not really necessary unless it’s an emergency as most of the places are covered by buses. Auto fares may range from Rs 20 to 40. Auto rickshaws are safe for night time travel and there are no night fares involved.

Attractions

Kamakshi Amman Temple

    mustsee The Kamakshi Amman Temple is dedicated to the goddess Parvathi. It is believed to have been originally built by the Pallava kings before the 7th century, but was then later rebuilt by the Cholas during the 14th Century. This particular temple is located directly in the heart of Kanchipuram. It is known as one of the three holy places of Sakthi worship. At this temple there is a Sankaracharya shrine. Sankaracharya was the man who found the Kamakoti Monastery and is known as one of the greatest Hindu saints. He is also known for building a golden tower.

Kanchi Kamakshi Temple

    mustsee The Kanchi Kamaski Temple is one of the triad of temples. The triad includes Kanchi Kamakshi, Madurai Meenakshi and Kasi Visalakshi. This temple in Kanchipuram is an extremely famous one and is an excellent example of saktis. It is known for its absolutely exquisite sculptures. The sculptures are also painted vivid colors to make them almost come to life. One of the most famous sculptures in the temple is the larger than life sculpture of Kamakshi herself. The beauty of this one sculpture is worth the time and effort that it takes to visit this one temple.

Kanchi Kudhil

    mustsee The Hindu religion is prominent throughout all of India. Many of the temples that can be seen there are in fact Hindu temples. The ancient culture as well as the cultural heritage of Hinduism is shown at Kanchi Kudhil. This is a small house that shows exactly how the Hindu religion is intertwined into India's history and modern day way of life. This fascinating place of discovery is open to visitors. There is no better way for a person of another faith to understand and appreciate the fascinating religion of Hinduism than to visit the Kanchi Kudhil.

Devarajaswami Temple

    popular The Devarajaswami Temple was built by the Vijaynagar kings. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Vishnu. There are elaborately carved pillars that can be seen throughout the temple. This particular temple has a marriage hall that was built in remembrance of the marriage between Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi. There is a water tank that contains a large statue of Lord Vishnu inside the water. The tank is drained every 40 years. At that time, the 10 meter high statue can be seen, and is then established for darshan for 48 days before it is immersed in water once again. There is also an enormous chain that was engraved out of one single stone.

Ekambaranatha Temple

    popular The Ekambaranatha Temple is the largest temple in Kanchipuram. It covers an impressive 20 acres. This particular temple has been dedicated to Lord Shiva, and was built by the Pallavas and then in turn was altered by both the Cholas and the Rayas. One remarkable feature of this temple is the fact that the 1000 lingas are all carved out of one solitary stone. Also, there are one thousand pillared halls found within the temple. Outside of the Ekambaranatha Temple there is a mango tree that is over 3500 years old. There are four separate limbs found on the tree that represent the Four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana). Tradition has it that the fruit from each limb tastes different even though they all are on the same tree.

Kachapeshwarar Temple

    popular It is at the Kachapeshwarar Temple that the Lord Shiva can be seen being worshipped by Lord Vishnu in the form of Tortoise (Kachap). This image can be seen on sculptures and engravings that adorn this beautiful temple. It is unusual for a temple to be dedicated to one Hindu god, in this case Lord Shiva, and then show another god worshipping that entity. This occurrence is one of the items that make this particular temple unique. The beautiful interior of the temple is just as impressive as the exterior.

Kailasanathar Temple

    popular The Kailasanathar Temple is one of the earliest and most remarkable temples that are found in the Kanchipuram area. It was built in the 7th century by the Pallava king Rajasimha. This particular temple is an excellent example of early Dravidian architecture. One notable feature that is unique to this temple is that there is a 16-sided Shiva lingam that is made out of black granite at the main shrine. Both the elegant decorations that are carved on this temple as well as the architectural style of the building closely resemble the impressive sculptures that are found at Mahabalipuram.

Vaikunda Perumal Temple

    popular The Vaikunda Perumal Temple was built by the Pallava king Nadivarman II during the 7th century. This is particular temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In fact, Lord Vishnu's image can be seen in standing, sitting and reclining forms on towering vimanas that can be seen throughout the temple. There are also many beautiful lion pillared cloisters as well as several bas – reliefs in the main shrine of the temple. Inscriptions that tell of the history of the temple as well as the history of the city itself can be seen on the walls. India's Department of Archeology cares for this temple.

Varadaraja Temple

    popular The beautiful Varadaraja Temple was built during the 10th century by the Vijayanagar kings. There is a big outer wall that surrounds this fine temple. It also has an impressive one thousand pillared halls inside that are called the Kalyanamandapam. Each one of these pillars has a description of Lord Vishnu on it. This is because Lord Vishnu is for whom the temple is dedicated. Another notable feature is the huge chain that is there. This amazing chain is carved out of one single piece of granite. Interesting enough, the inside of this temple even has fire corridors built into it.

Itineraries

Distances

Mahabalipuram	69 km	1h, 10m
Chennai	71 km	1h, 20m
Bangalore	278 km	4h, 50m
Hyderabad	640 km	10h, 10m

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