Places
to See
Ekambareswarar Temple
Originally built by the Pallavas, this large Siva temple was later reconstructed
by the Chola and Vijaynagara kings. Here, Lord Siva is worshipped as Earth
or Prithivi, which is one of the five elements. The dimensions of this temple
are reflected in its 20 - acre spread and its tall south gopuram which soars
to a height of 58.5m.
The eleven-storey structure which is adorned with beautiful sculptures is
one of the tallest temple towers in South India. The ancient mango tree in
the courtyard is revered by childless couples. They faithfully strung small
cradles to the branches of the tree and leave with the hope that their desire
for an offspring will be fulfilled. Also in the temple, is a small panel depicting
the story behind the temple's existence. Parvathi incurred Siva's wrath when
she made the mistake of playing a mischievous prank on him by covering his
eyes for a second. Since even that one second of hindering Siva's vision led
to years of darkness for the mortals, Siva bade her to perform penance to
obtain forgiveness. The temple is said to have been built at the spot where
the lord forgave her.
Vaikunta Perumal Temple
This Vaishnvite temple dates back to the 8th century and was built by Nandivarma
Pallava. Battle scenes depicting Pallava valour are carved on the panels surrounding
the main prakaram.
Anna Memorial
Kanchipuram is the birth place of Dr. C.N. Annadurai, the scholar statesman,
affectionately called Anna - The Elder Brother - by the general public. His
ancestral house located here has been converted into a memorial.
Varadaraja Temple
Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, this temple was built by the Vijaynagar kings and
the presiding deity is Devarajaswamy. The 100-pillared hall of this temple
proves the mastery of the sculptors of Vijayanagara in fine artists. Among
the best pieces are the severed halves of a large chain carved out of a single
stone and the figures of the God of Love and his consort astride a swan and
a parrot respectively
Kailasanathar Temple
This Pallava temple was constructed in the 8th century and has an attractive
panel depicting Shiva and Parvathi in the midst of one of their innumerable
dance competitions. The architecture of this temple resembles the Shore Temple
at Mamallapuram.
Handloom Industry
Kanchipuram's exquisite silk sarees are woven from pure mulberry silk in contrasting
colours and have an enviable reputation for texture, lustre, durability and
finish. More than 5,000 families are engaged in this industry and their spectacular
creations are marketed by a number of co-operative socities, located all over
the state. The Tamil Nadu Handloom House offers attractive rebates.
Tiruttani (42 Kms)
Tiruttani, lying to the west of Chennai, is one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya.
Situated on a hill top, the temple is accessible by road as well as by train.
365 steps lead to the hill which represent the days of the year. Tiruttani is
said to be the place where the Lord married Valli - one of his two consorts.
The Karthigai festival which falls in December is celebrated with great pomp
here and it is one of the most crowded periods of the year. This small town
is also the birth place of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, a philosopher - statesman and
former President of India.
Sriperumpudur
It is 29kms from Chennai on the way to Kanchipuram. It is the birth place
of Saint Ramanujar, the Father of Visishtadvaida philosophy of Vaishnavism
and hence an important pilgirim centre for the Vaishnavites.
Vedantangal (60 kms from Kanchi) - Birds Sanctuary
This small birds sanctuary has come up around a village tank which is surrounded
by a grove of trees. It is a heaven for migratory birds such as sandpipers,
white ibis, spoonbills, swans and grey wagtails among others.
There is also a sizeable population of resident breeding waterbirds. The period
between October-February is the best time to visit Vedantangal.
Elagiri Hills
An isolated, attractive picnic spot in the Eastern Ghats is the Elagiri Hills,
at an elevation of about 1000 metres. A salubrious climate, scenic surroundings
and a quaint Murugan temple are some of the attractions of this place.
Located very near to Chennai, this serves as an ideal location for organizing
one day or two days Trekking.
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