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The golden
city of thousand temples, lies 70 km from Chennai the capital of the Pallava and Cholas dynasty, is one of the serene sacred cities of India. These two powerful ruling dynasties gave the city its numerous temples and tanks. Kanchipuram today has as many as 150 active temples dedicated to various gods and goddesses. It is one of the seven holiest cities of India, and is well planned.
The well preserved religious monuments speak eloquently of the rich Dravidian culture heritage. The South Indian temple architecture rose here to a great new height in the 7th and 8th centuries. Even today there are as many as 124 beautiful shrines.
In And Around
Kailashnath Temple, (725 A.D.) and the Vaikuntaperumal Vishnu Temple, (750 A.D.).
Both are built of sandstone and house some of the most elegant sculptures of Shiva, Natraja, Durgamounted on a lion and of Vishnu. Varadaraja Vishnu Temple, and Ekambareshwara Shiva Temple are large complexes, with mandapas, tanks and sculptured halls filled with devotees who still flock here.
Sri Kamakshi Temple
Dedicated to goddess Kamakshi (Parvati) in her seductress form, this is an imposing shrine. Here an annual car festival is held, in which the deity is taken out in a car to the town in a procession. It is held on the ninth lunar day in February-March and draws large crowds.
Ekambareswara Temple
Also dedicated to Shiva, it was originally built by the Pallavas and later improved upon and added to by the Cholas and the kings of Vijaynagar. Its massive gopurams (60 meters) and outer walls were constructed by Vijaynagar King Krishna Deva Raya in 1509 AD. It is a huge temple with five enclosures and a thousand pillared hall
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