Tourism > India > Tamilnadu > Temples in Tamilnadu > Kanchipuram temples

Kanchipuram temples

Kanchipuram, City of 1000 temples, is a holy town and is most popular for a large number of temples. The magnificent structures of these temples point towards the Dravidian style of architecture. The temples of Kanchipuram were built by the rulers of various dynasties, each elevating and refining the architecture more and more. One of the seven holy places for Hindus, (others are Dwaraka, Ujjain, Varanasi, Ayodha, Mathura and Haridwar), Sriperumbudur - Rajiv Gandhi memorial (30 km).

The architectural pattern exhibited through these temples is typical south Indian and feature high roofs surmounting the sanctum sanctorum and gopurams. The temple gateways are elaborately carved out and are the chief features of the temples.

Major temples of Kanchipuram

The Kanchipuram temples are the outstanding instances of a number of ancient dynasties making their contributions towards the art and architecture. The typical Pallava art is reflected through these temples with significant contributions by the Chola, Vijayanagara and Chalukyan dynasties. Some of the famous temples of Kanchipuram are:

Kailasanatha Temple

It is one of the oldest temples and was built in the 7th century by Pallava King Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimhan) and his son Mahendra. You will find numerous small shrines located around the main shrine. The fresco-style paintings embellish the inner walls of the shrines and it is constructed using sandstone. The murals which once graced the alcoves are evident reminders of how wonderful the temple must have been when it was built initially. It is famous for its splendid vimana. It also contains numerous panels showing lord Siva as Nataraja in various postures. It is learnt that the Shiva lingam has the flat stripes inside the temple which is specialty of this lingam. It is 10 feet high and the temple closes by 6 to 630 pm daily. There is a story behind this early closure. Temple priest narrates it to the visitors.

Kamakshi Amman Temple

Kamakshi Amman Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Kamakshi, one of the forms of the goddess Tripura Sundari. It is popularly associated with Adi Sankaracharya, one of the greatest Hindu saints. Along with Madurai Meenakshi, Thiruvanaikaval Akilandeswari, Vishalakshi Varanasi, Kamakshi is an important part of worship of Parvati.

The main deity is seated in a majestic Padmasana posture, an yogic posture signifying peace and prosperity, instead of the traditional standing pose in most other temples of Parvati. The goddess holds a sugarcane bow and lotus and parrot in the lower two of her arms (Many of the Hindu god forms generally have four arms) and has the two divine instruments Pasa and Angusa in her upper two arms. This temple is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful ones among the various temples of south India and is dedicated to the presiding deity of Kanchi, Goddess Kamakshi. You will find an exquisite golden “gopuram” in the centre of this temple.

Devarajaswami Temple

Built by the Vijayanagar rulers, this temple is devoted to Lord Vishnu and features elaborately sculpted pillared halls. The prime highlight of the temple is a massive chain carved out of a single piece of stone. There is also a statue of Vishnu submerged in a large water tank within the temple.

Vaikuntha Perumal Temple

This temple is a must watch on your south India temple tour; built in the 7th century by the Pallava king Nandhivarman Pallavamalla it is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple has a number of inscriptions depicting the battles between the Pallavas and Chalukyas. Inside the temple the presiding deity (Lord Vishnu) is shown in the sitting, standing and reclining postures.

Ekambaranathar temple

It is a temple having a tower of 59 m height and a 540 pillared hall.

Varadarajaperumal temple

The temple was originally built by the Cholas in 1053 and it was expanded during the reigns of the great Chola kings Kulottunga Chola I and Vikrama Chola. In the 14th century another wall and a gopura was built by the later Chola kings. It is an ancient temple and one of the 108 divyadesams the holy abodes of Vishnu. It is located in part of Kanchipuram called the Vishnu Kanchi that is a home for a lot of famous Vishnu temples, including this temple. One of the greatest Hindu scholars, Ramanuja is believed to have resided in this temple. The temple is a huge one on a 23-acre (93,000 m2) complex and is famous for its holiness and ancient history. Another significant thing about the temple are beautiful carved lizards and platted with gold, over the sanctum. The temple is having a 100 pillared hall with rock carved chain. It is 3 km away.

How to Reach

Kanchipuram is around 60 km from Chennai. The nearest airport is Chennai. It is well connected by rail and road.