Kanchipuram: South Indian silk sarees and South Indian temples.

Kanchipuram, one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage place in India, is also renowned the world over as the premier centre for Tamil learning. Kanchipuram is famous for its hand-wooven Kanchipuram Silk Sarees; famous all over India. Situated around 70 kms from Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Kanchipuram is also the seat of Shankaracharya. Often referred as the Golden City of a thousand temples, the famous pilgrimage centre of Kanchipuram has historically been the capital of many empires.

Kanchipuram was the capital of the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Rayas of Vijayanagar. During the 6th and the 7th centuries, when Kanchipuram served as the capital of the Pallavas, the city witnessed the construction of many temples and arose as one of the great place of Hindu learning. Kanchipuram’s intellectual importance can be gauged from the fact that great thinker such as Sri Sankaracharya, Appar, Siruthonder and the great Budddhist Bhikku lived and worked in Kanchipuram. Some consider Kanchipuram to be the second-holiest city in India after Varanasi. Today, Kanchipuram is famous for its hand-woven silk fabrics and sarees.

PLACES to VISIT in Kanchipuram- TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

  • The Kamakshi Amman temple is the most important temple in Kanchipuram. The main tower of the Kamakshi Amman temple is gold plated. There is also a golden chariot in the temple, which is taken out on procession every Friday at 7:00 pm.
  • Kailashanathar (also spelt as Kailashnatha) is one of the earliest temples in Kanchipuram. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this ancient temple was built by the Pallava ruler Rajasimha Pallava and was completed by his son, Mahendra Varma Pallava in the 8th century AD. The Kailashanathar is the oldest structure in Kanchipuram and is one of the finest examples of Pallava architecture in South India.
  • Ekambareshwar, another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the largest temples in Kanchipuram and covers an area of around 12.14 hectares. The sacred temple of Ekambareshwar is surrounded by a huge stonewall that was built in the early 16th century when the region was under the Vijayanagar Empire.
  • Kumara Kottam, located in between the Kamakshi and Ekambareshwar temples in the Somaskanda formation, is another well-revered temple.
  • The Varadaraja temple is another very important temple; this temple is particularly revered by Vaishnavs and is one of the celebrated Vaishnava Divya Desams. This Hindu temple is located in Vishnu Kanchi or the ‘Little Kanchi’.
  • Another very popular temple is the Ulahalanda Perumal temple, which is situated about half a kilometre from the centre of the town near the Kamakshi Amman temple. This historical temple is one of the oldest temples in Kanchipuram and is dedicated to the deity Ulahalanda Perumal, also referred to as Vamana Roopam, an incarnation of the Lord Vishnu.

Kanchipuram- TRAVEL TIPS

  • Languages: Tamil and English are the widely spoken languages in the region. Hindi is rare.
  • Cuisine: Cuisine is largely south Indian which would mainly be made of rice and coconut.
  • Kanchipuram Sarees: Kanchipuram is also very famous for its hand-woven silk fabrics, in particular, sarees.

Kanchipuram is a must-stop for any temple tourism initiative in south India. Find Travel Agents suiting your travel on Tripraja.com

BEST TIME to visit Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram can be visited any time of the year. However, this Hindu pilgrimage town is at its best during the numerous festivals held at the temple complex.

The following are the temple festivals held in Kanchipuram temples during various times of the year:

  • Brahmotsavam (held at the Varadaraja temple in May),
  • Garuda Sevai (held at the Varadaraja temple in June),
  • Float festival (held at the Varadaraja temple in the months of February and November),
  • Kamakshi Ammam (held in February),
  • Mahashivaratri (held at the Kailashanatha temple in February),
  • Panguni Uthiram (held at the Ekambareshwara temple in the months of March–April).

BEST WAY to reach Kanchipuram

  • By Air: The airport nearest to Kanchipuram is Chennai that lies a mere 75 kms away.
  • By Rail: Chennai is also the nearest major railhead.
  • By Road: Kanchipuram is well connected to all the important cities in the region. Buses are plenty from all towns/cities in the region. Local transport in Kanchipuram comprises taxis, cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws.

ACCOMMODATION

Hotels and rooms are available to suit all budgets. One can obtain excellent discounts on accommodation via temple pilgrimage tours and temple trips.