Kanchipuram Things to Do

Shri Kanchi Kamakshi Ambal Devastanam (Kamakshi Temple) was rebuilt in the 14th century during the Vijayanagar period. It is one of the rare places in India where Shakti (sacred force or empowerment) is worshipped. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi a divine form of the Goddess Parvati. It is also associated with one of the greatest Hindu saints, Adi Sankaracharya.

One of the unusual things about this temple is the statue of Kamakshi shows her seated in a Padmasana posture (a yogic posture which signifies prosperity and peace), instead of the traditional standing pose which is present in most other temples of Parvati.

Another unusual thing is that this is the only traditional Parvati/Shakti shrine in Kanchipuram, a traditional city with hundreds of traditional temples.

This is a large complex with a temple tank and several mandapams (halls), including one with 100 pillars. The main sanctum has a gold-plated roof.

Poojas are as follows:

Cow Pooja: 5.30 AM ( Daily )
Abishekam: 6.00 AM / 10.30 AM / 4.30 PM ( Daily )
Golden Chariot Fridays: Tamil Month First Day / Full Moon Day / New Moon Day / Pooram Star Day
Sandal Alangaram: Every Wednesday and Saturday 6.00 PM onwards
Palliarai Pooja: 8.30 PM ( Daily )
Navavarna Pooja: Full Moon Day 10 PM onwards

This temple is very crowed on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, when a large number of devotees come to worship. The temple closes daily at 12-12:30 until about 4:00 p.m. Non-Hindus are not allowed in the inner sanctum.

One of the largest temples in Kanchipuram, the Sri Ekambaranathar Temple was constructed before the mid-9th century by the Pallavas. The Cholas then put their touch on the temple before (several centuries later) the Vijayanagar king Krishna Deva Raya added the almost 200 foot gopuram (monumental tower), one of the temple's most significant features. The gopuram has 10 stories of intricate sculptures.

The temple is dedicated to Shiva, who appears in the form of "earth". Earth is one of Hinduism's five sacred elements; the others being water, fire, air, and sky.

Highlights of the temple complex include:

A 1,000 pillared mandapam (outdoor hall/pavillion), of which less than 600 pillars remain,

Many lingas/lingams (a form of Shiva - a symbol of that which is invisible yet omnipresent) in the corridors,

A sacred mango tree said to be over 3,000 years old. It is said that each of the four branches bears fruit with a different taste, representing the four Hindu Vedas (sacred text).

This is a large complex and you need to allow plenty of time to walk around. Non-Hindus are not allowed in the inner sanctum, but there is still so much to see. The temple closes around 12-12:30 p.m. and re-opens around 4:00 p.m.

There is a small entrance fee (about Rs 10-20) and a small fee for cameras/video cameras (about Rs 5-10).

Please see my travelogues for additional photos.

In the Hindu religion, elephants represent Lord Ganesh, one of Hinduism's most important Gods. At many temples (especially large ones) an elephant will be present to bestow blessings on visitors/pilgrims. Just hold out your hand with a coin - palm up. Using his trunk, the elephant will take the coin and give it to his handler. The elephant then puts his trunk on your head and gives you a blessing.

However, within the last 6-8 months, the Tamil Nadu government has asked that this practice stop due to health concerns. Apparently visitors have been passing diseases to the elephants - specifically tuberculosis - and some elephants have died. Upon further investigation, it was found that the elephants were living in poor conditions and not well-cared for. Whether or not temple officials will comply - and for how long - is yet to be seen.

Visit the many temples in the temple town of Kanchipuram.The town hailed by the famous ancient Indian poet Kalidasa as Nagareshu kanchi or Kanchi the ideal city,this town is home to so many ancient temples and is also famous for its pure silk weaving.
The most famous temples here are --
Kamakshi temple(dedicated to kamakshi,consort of shiva)
Varadaraja perumal(an form of Lord Vishnu)
Ulagalandha perumal(one of the incarnations of Vishnu called Vamana)
Ekambareshwara temple(dedicated to lord Shiva)

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there are numerous shops which sell silksarees on either side of the lane to the temple .These are hand woven and made from mulberry silk worms. kancheepuram is also famous for hand woven cotton sarees.The owners belong to weavers co-operative society.once you go to the interior you can buy from weavers direct.

most of the designs are from the temple carvings

The cost range from RS 500 to 20,000

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kancheepuram siva temple is one of the five famous abodes of siva . Here sivalinga is worshipped in the form of sand. Legend has it that parvathy worshiped the sand linga here under a very old mango tree.

The outer wall is interrupted by gopurams which looks similar but differs architecturally according to the era in which it was constructed. Inside this wall is the thousand pillar gopuram.

The door to the inner sanctum opens in the morning closes by mid morning and then again opens only at 3.30pm. here you can see the pond and a waiting area with carved pillars.The innermost sanctum opens only at 4pm in the evening .it is an archaeological delight with numerous small temples and hall ways with pillars. The place where the idol is kept is out of bounds for non hindus

This is one of the scores of granite columns inside the Varadaraja gate temple, all of them intricately carved. Most scenes reflect some religious (or mythical) message; others depict joys pictured in the Kama Sutra; and still others are political -- showing mughals or Hindu lords or both together.

I was guided into the temple and all around the complex by a friendly and diminutive Hindu priest -- he can not have stood much more than 4'6" (about 138 cm) -- was very knowledgeable, and spoke excellent English. He did not ask for money; I had nearly to force him to accept a small "tip."

This 16th century 'gate temple' is one of several temples dedicated to Varadaraja, an incarnation of Vishnu.

The temple's many columns, its altar, its shrine, and the interesting 'chain' (right) are all carved of granite. Reliefs on the columns range from scenes from the Kama Sutra to those showing mughal and Hindu figures coexisting.

(Such symbols of "unity" -- voluntary or not -- show up in many places: in the enduring papyrus/lotus "logo" of the Pharoahs' Egypt , for example, and in the stripes [and stars] of the U.S. flag.)

Admission into the compound is free; into the Gate Temple itself it's 10 rupees for Indians, 100 rupees (less than US$2.50) for foreigners.