KANCHIPURAM
Kanchipuram - " Golden City Of Temples" was believed to be the most attractive city of ancient India .This city is one of India's seven sacred cities and is the second holiest place in India next to Varanasi.
This city was the Historical Capital of the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Vijayanagar rulers. It was under the Pallavas from 6th to 8th century A.D. It later became the citadel of the Cholas, Vijayanagar kings, the Muslims and the British. During Pallava times, it was briefly occupied by the Chalukyans of Badami, and by the Rastrakutas when the battle fortunes of the Pallava kings reached a low ebb. Many of these temples are the beautiful work of Pallavas and later Cholas.
The remains of few Buddhist stupas here also bear testimony that
Buddhism also prevailed here for a little while. One of the Acharya Peetas of
Sri Adi Sankaracharya - "The
Kanchi Kamakotti Peetam"
is situated here. It has been a centre for Tamil learning and Culture for
centuries and gives us a clear picture of the glorious Dravidian Heritage of
the Vaishnavites and Shaivites.
Kanchipuram
,the "Silken Paradise"
is also world renowned for the gorgeous hand-woven silk
sarees of myriad rich colours, noted for their shine, finish and matchless
beauty.The exquisite silk sarees are woven from pure mulberry silk in
contrasting colours and have an enviable reputation for lustre, durability and
finish.They reflect a Weaving and dyeing tradition, hundreds of years old and
whose riches the West came seeking before the industrial age was born.
| Area | 11.6 Sq.Kms. |
| Location | 70 Kms from Chennai |
| Altitude | Sea level |
| Season | Throughout the year |
| Clothing | Tropical |
| Languages spoken | Tamil, Telugu and English |
| Festivals | Brahmothsavam, Car festival, Garudothsavam |
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Dedicated to Siva, Kailasanatha is one of the earliest temples built by Rajasimha and his son Mahendra in the 8th century A.D. There are 58 small shrines situated around the main shrine. Paintings of Fresco-style adorn the inner walls of the shrines. Sandstone was used in the construction of this temple.It is the only temple at Kanchipuram which is not cluttered with the more recent additions of the cholas and vijayanagar rulers.Fragments of the eigth century murals which once graced the alcoves are a visible remainder of how magnificent the temple must have looked when it was first built. |
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