 |
 |
|||
 |
||||
| Main Spiritual Guides Page > Main India Page> Tamil Nadu > Kanchipuram | ||||
|
Shopping at Natural Nirvana Amazon
Herb This
Site to Close on January 1, 2006 Appeal for Help If you know of information that is not listed here, or if you would like to help update our listings, please e-mail us at:
|
Kanchipuram Pop:
189,000 Area Located 70km southwest of Chennai, Kanchipuram is known as the “Golden City of Temples.” It is considered one of the seven main sacred cities of India. It has over one hundred temples now, but at one time it is said to have had about one thousand. Kanchipuram is believed to give eternal happiness to one who goes there. It is said that “Ka” (Brahma) “anchi” (worshiped) Lord Vishnu at this place and that is why the city was given the name Kanchipuram. Puram means “city.” Kanchipuram is 71km (45 miles) southwest of Chennai on the Vegavati River, and 64km west of Mamallapuram. While Kanchipuram has some outstanding temples, the town itself is not so interesting. Most people just see the temples here in a day and leave. Kanchipuram was the capital of the Pallavas rulers from the 7th to 9th centuries. It was also important during the Chola, Vijayanagar, and Nayaka periods. It is an ancient place. It was mentioned in the Mahabhasya, written by Patanjali in the 2nd century BC. Ramanujacharya lived in Kanchipuram during his youth, and Sri Chaitanya visited here 500 years ago. Four of the Alwars—Pey Alwar, Poygai Alwar, Bhutatt Alwar, and Thirumalisai—were born within 50 miles of Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram is famous for hand-woven silk fabrics and saris. The weavers use the highest quality silk and pure gold thread. This place is known to be the best source of high quality hand-woven silk items, and Varanasi is known to be the best place for machine-made silk items. Orientation The tourist office (631-502) is at the Hotel Tamil Nadu, Kamatchi Amman Sannadhi St. The Archaeological Survey of India office is helpful. It is located opposite the Kailasanatha Temple. The State Bank of India (22987), 16 Gandhi Rd, only accepts travelers checks. Some other banks change cash. The Head Post Office (22080), Railway Rd, is open Mon to Fri 9 am to 5 pm. Internet at Dishnet, 81C Kamaraja St (Hours: 9 am to 9 pm) for Rs 25 per hour. In the summer, temperatures are between 21ºC (70ºF) and 37ºC (98ºF), and in the winter the range is 20ºC (68ºF) to 29ºC (84ºF). Local
Transportation There are thirteen Divya Desam temples in the area of Kanchipuram. If you visit these temples you should take into consideration that some of the less popular temples may have the same priest doing the worship at more than one temple. This means that you may come to one of these temples and it may be closed. If possible, it is best to try to find a rickshaw driver who knows what time each temple is open.
Brahma’s Yajna There is a beautiful garden inside the walls of the temple. The Deity of Sri Perundevi Thayar goes every Friday to this garden and there is a festival there. There is a Narasimha deity when you first enter the main temple area, called Yoga Narasimha Swami. This temple has a 30m (100 ft) high gopuram originally built in the 11th century and later renovated in the 16th century by the Vijayanagar kings. The 100 (actually 96) pillar mandapa, which has exquisite sculptures, is one of the beauties of India. Mainly avatars of Vishnu, and scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana, are carved on the pillars. The main hall is supported by giant pillars, each carved from a different rock. There are also riders on horseback, beautiful figures of Rathi and Manmatha, and a massive chain carved out of a single stone. The temple covers about 23 acres, which is one of the biggest areas covered by any temple in India. The temple’s outer walls are 365m (1200 ft) by 545m (1800 ft). Ananta-tirtham, the temple tank, is north of the 100 pillar mandapa hall. The temple ratha (cart) is 18m (60 ft) high. It is beautifully carved and very old. The
temple has an exquisite collection of temple jewelry that
may be seen if you give a donation. One of the necklaces is said to
have been given by Clive, the British Governor of the Madras Presidency.
It is said that Clive came on the day of the Garuda-seva festival of
Lord Varadaraja and that he presented his wife’s necklace to the
priest to adorn the Lord. The necklace is known as Clive Makara-kandi
and is used to decorate Lord Varadaraja on the Garudotsavam day. The deity is taken out every forty to fifty years for 45 to 48 days (some say 10 days). The last occasion was in 1979 and the next will be around 2019. The story is that Lord Brahma had Visvakarma, the architect of the demigods, make a wooden deity of Lord Varadaraja. The utsava-murti is said to have emerged from Lord Brahma’s sacrificial fire. It was felt that the wooden deity would be ruined if constantly exposed and worshiped. Therefore the deity was immersed in the temple tank, and a granite deity was installed in its place.
Ramanujacarya used to regularly come to this temple in his youth. He
is said to have met the great Vaishnava acharya Alavandar for the first
time in the courtyard of this temple. The
main deity is located up a flight of stairs in the back of the main
temple and is a little hard to find. Non-Hindus are not allowed in the
temple, which means not into the second courtyard. Converted Hindus
may be allowed to enter, but are expected to wear traditional dress
and tilaka. This temple is at the southeast end of the city, near the
river, just off Thirukatchinambi Koil Road. The temple is open 8 am
to noon and 4 to 7 pm. There is a Rs 10 camera and Rs 50 video fee. This temple is not very big. It is near the corner of East Raja St and Kamakshi Amman Sannathi St, in the center of the town, 1km southwest of the railway station.
Kailasanatha Temple There are fresco-style paintings on the inner walls of the shrine. The outer wall of the temple has 58 small shrines showing different aspects of Siva. The architecture resembles that of the Shore Temple in Mamallapuram. There is a major festival here during Siva-ratri in Feb/March. Non-Hindus
can enter the inner sanctum. Open 8 am to noon and 4 to 6 pm. It is
on Putteri Street, in the western part of the city, about a km from
the bus station. There is a mango tree behind the inner sanctum (main temple) that is said to be 3,500 years old. It has four branches, said to represent the four Vedas (sacred Hindu scriptures). Each leaf of this tree is a different shape. The name of the deity itself is believed to have been derived thus: Eka-Amra-Natha, meaning the “Lord of the Mango Tree.” The fruit from each branch has a different taste. In the path around the tree is a Siva-linga made of 108 small lingas and another one made up of 1008 lingas. You should circle around the tree clockwise (the other way is considered inauspicious). The huge linga is known as the Prithvi-linga, or earth linga, and is one of the five xe "element lingas" element lingas of South India. The other four are the Agni-linga (fire) at Thiruvannamalai, the Appu-linga (water) at Jambukeswara, the Vayu-linga (air) at Kalahasti, and the Akasha-linga (ether) at Chidambaram. The story of the temple is that while Lord Siva was meditating, Parvati playfully covered his eyes for a moment. This resulted in the earth being covered with darkness for years. This angered Siva who cursed Parvati to go to earth and do severe penance. She came to earth and created the earth linga and worshiped it under a single (eka) mango tree in Kanchipuram. Siva sent different obstacles to test Parvati’s sincerity. When he sent a flood, she clasped to the linga so tightly that imprints were made on it. It is believed that if a woman seeking a child worships here, her desire will be fulfilled. Non-Hindus are not allowed in the inner sanctum. This temple is between North Made and West Made Streets in the northwest part of the city. Open 6 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 8 pm. There is a Rs 5 camera fee. There
is a Vishnu temple within the temple complex, which is one of the Divya
Desams shrines. The Vishnu deity in this temple is named Nilathingal
Thundatthan Vishnu. The
Sri Adi Varaha Perumal
Temple, one of the Divya Desam temples, is located within
the temple’s walls. This shrine is located to the left of the
entrance to the inner sanctum (altar) of Kamakshi Amman. In the northeast
part of the Pancha-ganga temple tank there is a shrine with three floors,
each having a Vishnu deity in a different posture: standing, sitting,
and reclining. On
Tuesdays and Fridays at around 8 pm there is an elephant procession
with fireworks and music. This temple is considered to be auspicious
for marriage blessings. It is just off Odai Street, in the center of
town. Open 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 8.30 pm. This temple has four Divya Desams shrines in it—Peragathan (Sri Ulagalandar) and Ooragam (always referred to together), Neeragham, Karagham, and Karvannam shrines. The shrine of Adi Sesa, called Ooragam, is next to Ulagalandar Perumal. Ooragam means snake. Adi Sesa is the divine snake used as a couch by the Lord. There is an annual festival here in Jan/Feb. Sri
Vijaya Raghava Temple On a hill to the east of the tank is a temple dedicated to Jatayu. The Vamana Purana says that Jatayu, who was killed by Ravana, was cremated at Thiruputkuli. Sri
Ramanuja studied under Yadhava Prakash in Thiruputkuli. There is a mandapa
here where Ramanujacarya studied the advaita philosophy from Yadhava
Prakash, in order to master it, so he could defeat it. Since Ramanuja
kept refuting the advaita philosophy taught by Yadhava Prakash, he was
expelled from the ashram. It is also said that the crocodile caught hold of the leg of Gajendra the elephant in the temple tank here. When Gajendra cried out in despair to the Lord, Vishnu came and killed the crocodile with his chakra (disc). There is also a deity of Varaha, Lord Vishnu in his boar incarnation, in this temple. This temple is opposite the Yathoktakari Temple, about 1½ km from the Varadaraja Temple. Pandava
Dootha Perumal Sri
Deepa Prakasa Temple This is the birthplace of Sri Vedanta Desika, a great acarya and author in the Ramanuja-sampradaya. By the shrine of Deepa Prakasa, there is a shrine dedicated to Sri Desika, near the place where he was born. This
temple is located about half a km west of Sri Ashtabhujam Perumal Temple. Sri
Alagiyasingar Temple Sankaramandam
Math Nalli Silks, 54 Nellukkara Street, is one of the biggest silk shops and has a good reputation. Kamatchi Co-optex, 182 Gandhi Rd; Srinivas and Co, 135 TK Nambi St; Srinivasan Silk House, 17 TK Nambi St; Thiruvallur Co-perative Society, 207 Gandhi Rd; and Murudan, on Railway Rd, have good names for silk items. Sri Swami Silks, 116 TK Nambi St, has a good selection of silk goods. You
can see saris being made at Handlooms Weavers Service Centre,
at 20 Railway Station Rd, by the post office. They can give you sound
shopping advice. Open only on weekdays. Local
Travel You
can rent a bicycle for Rs 6per hour (Rs 45 for a day)
at stalls near the bus station, or at the bicycle shop on Sannadhi St,
just outside the Varadaraja Perumal Temple. Rail From Chennai Beach Station one has to go via Chingleput (Chengalpattu). There are three trains that go to Kanchipuram from Chingleput at 8.20 am, 5.30 pm and 8 pm. The trains going back to Chingleput leave Kanchi between 6 and 8.30 am and at 6 pm. To go by train to Chennai takes about twice as long as the bus. From Chennai you can go to Kanchipuram by first going to Arakkonam (Arakonam) from Chennai Egmore Station on the Chennai to Bangalore line. There are only two connections between Arakkonam to Kanchipuram—at 7.50 am and 5.20 pm and from Kanchipuram to Arakkonam at 9.30 am and 6.45 pm. Bus There are regular buses to and from Chennai (2 hr, #828 or #76B), Tirupati (3 hr), Tiruttani, and Vellore (2½ hr). There are five direct buses a day to Mamallapuram (2 hr, #212A). There are many buses to Chingleput (Chengalpattu, 1 hr), and from there you can get another bus to Mamallapuram. There are direct buses to Bangalore, Tiruchirappalli (Srirangam, 7 hr), and Pondicherry (3 hr). There are buses that go directly to Tirupati. There are also buses to a small town near Tirupati, and then you have to get another bus for another 20-minute ride. The bus stand is on the corner of Nellukkara St and Kamaraj St, in the center of town. Public buses from Chennai depart from Parry’s Corner by the Law Court. Others A convenient way to get to Kanchipuram is to get a tourist taxi from Chennai, which should be around Rs 1200 roundtrip plus driving around in Kanchi. Both ITDC and TTDC operate daily conducted tours from Chennai to Tirukkalukundram, Kanchipuram, and Mamallapuram. This tour is rushed. If you know of a informationthat is not correct or if you would like to help update our listings, please e-mail us at:
|
Search Site Yogi Abhaya's Amazing Colon Cleaning Program Fast
Food Restaurants
Website
Marketing & Internet Instructions The Search Engine Directory Very detailed!
Fantastic
Natural Herbs from the Amazons Infomation
on Partnering
with John Easterling &Amazon Herb formulas Amazon
Herbs Articles Interview with Sherrill Sellman Journey
to Porveneer How
the Amazon Rainforest Returning
to our Roots The Evolution of Environmental Consciousness
Our own Vegetarian, Vegan, Alternative & Spiritual Sales Shop
Buy
Spiritual India, A Practical Guide
Our own Vegetarian, Vegan, Alternative & Spiritual Sales Shop How To Travel Cheaply Using the Internet
24 Devotional DVD Set for just $99 Individually each video cost $14.95 for a savings of over $200 VEGAN BAGS CLOTHES Bedding
& Pillows (beautiful) FOOD AYURVEDIC
MEDICINES VEGAN
HEALTH VEGAN
BODY CARE INCENSE
& OILS VEG
COSMETIC VEDIC
& SPIRITUAL JEWELRY SPIRITUAL
BOOKS SPIRITUAL
MUCIC
SPIRTUAL VIDEO Bob
Marley Reggae Please Help Support This Site Buy USA Vegetarian Restaurants Book
Please check out our Natural Nirvana Store, which we started to help pay for the maintenance of this Website. Natural Nirvana is dedicated to selling vegetarian, spiritual and alternative products. We sell only animal-friendly and cruelty-free clothing, gifts, health foods, books and beauty products.
|
||
| Copyright
©2004 John Howley and Spiritual Guides |
||||
| |
||||
