Kancheepuram

Overview

Kancheepuram, the ancient 'City of a Thousand Temples', is a district on the northern coast of Tamil Nadu adjoining Chennai and one of Hinduism's seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri). At the 2011 Census the undivided district recorded 3,998,252 people with an effective literacy of 84.49%; after Chengalpattu district was carved out in 2019, the present-day district has a population of about 1,166,401 over roughly 1,656 sq km. Kanchipuram city has been a seat of Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagara power and remains a premier temple and silk-weaving centre. It lies about 70 km south-west of Chennai along the Bengaluru highway.

Tourism

Kanchipuram is one of Tamil Nadu's foremost pilgrimage and heritage destinations, drawing visitors to its cluster of monumental Pallava- and Chola-era temples and to its silk-weaving showrooms. The 8th-century Kailasanathar Temple, the towering Ekambareswarar Temple and the Kamakshi Amman and Varadharaja Perumal temples are the principal sights. The city's living tradition of handloom silk weaving is itself a major tourist draw.

Temples & heritage

Kancheepuram is unique in being sacred to both Saivites and Vaishnavites: the Ekambareswarar Temple represents the Earth element among the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams, while the Kamakshi Amman Temple is one of the principal Shakti Peethas. The Pallava-built Kailasanathar Temple (early 8th century) is the city's oldest surviving structure, and the Varadharaja Perumal Temple is a celebrated Vaishnavite Divya Desam. Together with the Kumarakottam and Ulagalantha Perumal temples, they make Kanchipuram a complete pilgrimage in itself.

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