Pilgrimages in India - Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram, known for its temples and silk sarees, is a city in the Kanchipuram district of the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the Palar River and the temple town of Kanchipuram is also the headquarters of the district of Kanchipuram. The Kanchipuram district is spread over an area of 4,43,210 hectares and a coastline of 57 km.
Kanchipuram or the Golden City of Temples is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in India. It is also one the most picturesque centers of Hindu religion. Once used to be the capital of the Pallavas and the Cholas, the temple town of Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities of India. It is in fact the second holiest city after Varanasi and also the seat of Shankaracharya. Many of the temples in Kanchipuram are made by the Pallavas and the Cholas.
The city of thousand temples, better known as Kanchipuram, has a lot of pilgrimage attractions. The first attraction is the Kamakshi Amman Temple. Of all the three temples in India where Goddess Shakti is worshipped, Kanchipuram holds the most important rank. It is also the hub of all religious activities in Kanchipuram. The Golden Chariot, which is taken for a procession every Friday evening, is another significant feature of the Kamakshi Amman Temple.
The Kailashanathar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is the next attraction in the temple town. It is the oldest structure in Kanchipuram and was built by the Pallavas. It is also one of the finest examples of Pallava structure in South India pilgrimage sites. The temple of Kailashanathar is an architectural wonder and is very elaborately filled with all the 64 aspects of Lord Shiva.
Another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is the Ekambareshwar Temple. It is one of the largest temples in Kanchipuram. With its existence dating back even prior to 600 A.D., it is considered to be one of the most ancient temples in India and is surrounded by a huge stone wall built during the days of the Vijayanagar Empire.
Kumara Kottam is yet another attraction of Kanchipuram. Situated in between the temples of Kamakshi and Ekambareshwar, it is a very frequently visited temple in Kanchipuram with two Prakarams and a complete pantheon of Parivara Devatas enshrined in their respective shrines.
The Varadaraja Temple and the Ulahalanda Perumal Temple are the other major attractions of the holy city of Kanchipuram. The Varadaraja temple is one of the important shrines of Shri Vaishnavites whereas the deity Ulahalanda Perumal represents the "Vamana Roopam", an incarnation of Lord Shiva. The Brahmotsavam festival of Varadaraja temple and the Mahashivaratri festival of Kailashanathar temple are the most important and famous festivals of Kanchipuram. Situated at a distance of around 70 km from Chennai, Kanchipuram in India has a tropical climate with an almost uniform temperature throughout the year. Getting there is also not a problem as one can reach Kanchipuram by train from Chennai and Bangalore or by road from Chennai as it is well connected by a network of roads. So, if you are looking forward to visiting a holy place in south India then there is no better place than Kanchipuram.