Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram is a sacred Hindu Pilgrimage site and the seat of the Shankaracharya. It is also called as a city of thousand temples and is one of the oldest temple towns in the country. Kanchipuram is called as Kanchi in short. The place is an epicenter of spiritual activities and learning since the 10th century. It is very famous for silk saris called as Kanjivaram.
A number of dynasties like the Cholas, Pallavas and the Vijaynagar Empire ruled Kanchipuram. Each one of these imparted a distinctive feature to the place. The architecture styles in this city of Kanchipuram are an excellent example of this.
There are a few Buddhist stupas in kanchipuram. These indicate the presence of Buddhism here. It is one of the four seats of Sri Adi Shankaracharya. The Kanchi Math is a popular religious institution that became famous here. Adi Shankarara settled in Kanchipuram after establishing four maths in the four corners of the country. The Asia's biggest library is located at Sri Chandrasekharandra Saraswati which is a part of the Kanchi Mutt.
The Kanchi Kamakotti peetham is situated in Kanchi. This place has been a center of Tamil learning since many centuries. It is an excellent example of Dravidian heritage of the Vaishnavites and Shaivites.
Tourist attractions in Kanchipuram are many. The Ekambarnatha temple is an ancient temple built y the Pallavas and was later reconstructed by the Chola kings. The temple is spread on 20 acres and its gopuram soars to a height of 60 meters. The structure of the temple is decorated with a number of beautiful sculptures.
The Vaikunta Perumal temple is very old and dates back to the 8th century. Nandivarma Pallava built this Vishnu temple. The panels surrounding the main parikrama of this temple are adorned with scenes depicting Pallava valor.
The Varadaraja temple is also dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is worshipped as Devarajswamy. This temple has 100 pillars and displays the mastery of the artists who built it. The figures on the walls of this temple like the love god with his swan, a large chain carved out of a single stone, etc are masterpieces.
Kailasnath temple has an attractive panel depicting Shiva and parvathi in a dance competition. The architecture of this temple is simply beautiful. The Kamakshi temple id dedicated to Goddess Parvati in her incarnation of Kamakshi, the goddess of Love.
There are many mosques in Kanchipuram. There is one very interesting thing that one of the temples and mosques share the same tank. This is a very good example of communal harmony in the state of Tamil Nadu. The dargas of Kanchipuram have excellent architecture.
Tourist places around Kanchipuram
Tiruttani is situated on a hilltop near Kanchipuram and is one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya. The temple is accessible by train and road. There are 365 steps to the temple represent the days in a year. As the legend goes, Lord married one of his two consorts at this place. The Karthigai festival is celebrated with great pomp here.
Sriperumbudur is situated at a distance of 29 km from Kanchipuram. This is the birth place of saint Ramanujar, father of Vishishtadvaita. Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime minister of India was killed here during a bomb blast here in 1991.