Kanchipuram ([kaːɲdʑipuɾam]), or Kānchi or Kāncheepuram, is a famous temple city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It served as the capital city of the Pallava Kingdom. It is also known by its former names Kanchiampathi, Conjeevaram, and the nickname "The City of Thousand Temples" [1] It is now the Administrative headquarters of Kanchipuram district. Kanchipuram is located 72 kilometers from Chennai, the capital city of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India.
The temple is the largest temple in the town of Kanchipuram and is located in the northern part of the town.[2] The temple gopuram (gateway tower) is 59m tall, which is one of the tallest gopurams in India.[3] It is one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams representing earth (Sanskrit: पन्च भूत स्थल) referring to the five temples,[4] dedicated to Shiva, a Hindu god, each representing the manifestation of the five prime elements of nature- land, water, air, sky, and fire.[5]
The temple is the oldest Pallava temple still in existence and is declared an archeological monument by Archaeological Survey of India. The temple is architecturally unusual in having a series of cells with sculptures within.[6]
Vishnu is believed to have worshipped Shiva in the form of kurma (tortoise).[6] The other name given to the temple is Kachipedu in some inscriptions.[6] The temple is adjacent to the Kanthakottam temple.
Tirugnana Sambandar, a 7th-century Tamil Shaiva poet, venerated Sathyanatheswarar in one verse in Tevaram, compiled as the First Tirumurai. As the temple is revered in Tevaram.
The temple is close to Mamandur, south of Kanchipuram. The temple has a rock cut shrine of Pallava origin associated with monkey, squirrel and crow (kurangu, anil, and mutram in Tamil).[10] The temple has been revered by Sambandar's Tevaram.[10]
Pallavas in 6th century and modified in 14th-17th century [14]
The goddess is depicted in the form of a yantra, placed in front of the deity.[15]Adi Shankara is closely associated with this temple and is believed to have established the Kanchi matha after this temple. The mutt's official history states that it was founded by Adi Shankara of Kaladi, and that His Holiness Jayendra Saraswati Swami is the current pontiff - The 69th head in succession, tracing its history back to the 5th century BCE.[16] A related claim is that Adi Shankara came to Kanchipuram, and that he established the Kanchi mutt named "Dakshina Moolamnaya Sarvagnya Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam" in a position of supremacy (Sarvagnya Peetha) over the other mathas of the subcontinent, before his death there.
Other Hindu Temples
Kumarakottam
The temple is dedicated to Muruga (called Skanda), the son of Shiva and Parvati and is located between the Ekambareswarar temple and Kamakshi Amman temple leading to the cult of Somaskanda (Skanda, the child between Shiva and Parvati). The temple is the birthplace of Kandapuranam, the Tamil religious work on Muruga translated from Sanskrit Skanda Purana in 1625 CE by Kachiappa Shivacharya.[8]
Chitragupta, as per Hinduism is the younger brother of Yama, the death god, who keeps track of good and bad deeds of humanbeings to decide their residence in heaven or hell.[18] The temple is just one of its kind that has a separate temple for Chitragupta.[18] The panchaloha (alloy made of five elements) idol of the deity and his consort was found during an excavation process during 1911 CE.[18]
Varadharaja Perumal Temple was originally built by the Cholas in 1053[20] and it was expanded during the reigns of the great Chola kings Kulottunga Chola I and Vikrama Chola. In the 14th century another wall and a gopura were built by the later Chola kings. It is an ancient temple and one of the 108 Divya Desams, the holy abodes of Vishnu. It is located in a part of Kanchipuram called the VishnuKanchi, where various Vishnu temples are situated. Varadharaja Perumal Temple is a huge one on a 23-acre (93,000m2) complex and shows the architectural skills of ancient vishvakarma sthapathis in temple architecture and is famous for its holiness and ancient history. Another significant thing about the temple is the beautifully carved lizards plated with gold, found over the sanctum.[21]
The temple is believed to have stood in Karikala hall, after ancient Chola king Karikala. Inscriptions indicate the existence of the hall in olden days.[24] All the four temples are enshrined in the same complex.[22]
The place is the birthplace of the Alvar saint, Poigai Alvar.[25] The central shrine has tiers of 3 shrines, one over the other, with Vishnu depicted in each of them.[25] The prakaram (corridors round the sanctum) has series of sculptures depicting the Pallava rule and conquer.[25]
The temple has a set of inscriptions associated with Cholas. A record of the Chola king, Rajakesari Varaman or Kulothunga Chola I, dated in his fifth year.[24]