KANCHIPURAM

The city of a Thousand Temples Ancient Kancheepuram, the city of thousand temples, is one of the most sacred pilgrim centres for the Hindus. There now remain 126 temples in Kanchi and a few more in the outskirts. This city was under the control of the Cholas as far back as the 2nd Century BC and a Pallava capital between the 6th and 8th centuries.

Kanchi is also a well known centre of the finest silk sarees made in the country. Kanchi has magnificent temples of unique architectural beauty bearing eloquent testimony to its glorious Dravidian heritage. Adi Sankara established his episcopal seat (Kamakotipeetam). Kancheepuram is the birth place of C.N. Annadurai, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu affectionately called as "Anna" by the people of Tamil Nadu.

Places to Visit in Kancheepuram

Sakkiswarar Temple : Built by the Cholas, this temple is located near the Kamakshi Amman Temple.

Vaikuntha Perumal Temple : An important Vishnu temple built by the Pallava King Nandivarman Pallavamalla, in the 7th century AD. Numerous inscriptions are found in the temple, relating to the wars between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas.

Kailasanatha Temple : Built by Rajasimha and his son Mahendra the 3rd, in the 8th century AD.

Ekambareswarar Temple : Another ancient temple, renovated by the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Vijayanagar kings. The 57 metre high Rajagopuram, is one of the tallest towers in South India.

The magnetic pull of the town : Sightseeing Also known as Varadarajar temple, it is a massive and impressive edifice. The shrine of Devarajaswamy is located on an elephant-shaped rock called Hastagiri.

Kamakshi Amman Temple : This is one of the three holy places of Shakti worship in India. The other two are in Madurai and Varanasi. The temple in its present form was built by the Cholas, during the 14th century AD.

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