Kanchipuram Temples: 5 Gorgeous Temples You Just Have To Visit

If you have lived in India, you have definitely heard the word Kanchipuram being thrown around in conversations but have you heard of the Kanchipuram temples?

In fact the city is know for two things: The famous Kanchipuram sarees which are inspired by the artwork on the temple walls and as a pilgrimage spot because of the numerous Kanchipuram temples.

While we were planning our road trip through Tamil Nadu, we found that Kanchipuram would make a great stop. Our main agenda was to see how the saree weaving is done first hand.

The half an hour pit stop however became a 3 hour stop as we wandered through the Kanchipuram temples.

Yes! There are many and we covered just a few. Without much ado let me take you through the ones that we visited.

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Kanchipuram

Did you know that Kanchipuram is known as ‘The City Of A Thousand Temples’?

At first this obscure little city may not capture your attention. It’s only when you set foot into it that you begin to change your mind. The pilgrimage city houses temples at every turn. It is rather hard to explore them all.

Some of the temples are spectacular and old. In fact, they date back centuries with the oldest one was built in the late 7th century to early 8th century.

Where To Stay In Kanchipuram

If you want to stay in Kanchipuram but are not sure where to crash at, these are some of the options that are highly rated in the city. I’ve tried to include luxury, midrange and budget options but bear in mind that Kanchipuram is a small town so the options are limited.

Vasanth Villa (Budget)

⭐️ Rating: 8.2/10 (248 Reviews) Price: $18 per night 📍Location: TK Nambi Street 123, Near Women’s College Bus Stop Details: Read more on booking.com now!

This is one of the most highly rated accommodations in the city and it is a budget option which is ultra cool. At just $18 you can catch a clean room that comes equipped with air-conditioning and Wi-Fi.

The Paradise Hotel (Mid Range)

⭐️ Rating: 8.8/10 (11 Reviews) Price: $34 per night 📍Location: No.111,Gandhi road,, Kanchipuram Details: Read more on booking.com now!

This is probably one of the most luxurious stays in Kanchipuram. The rooms are relatively spacious. The rooms are pretty cool and have all the amenities that you could desire. Think a nice flat screened TV and air-conditioned spacious rooms.

Meet Our Guide Through The Kanchipuram Temples

Our guide Puranjyoti stopped for a pose.

Our first stop was the Kanchi Kailasanathar temple in Kanchipuram. Initially that was the only temple that we were going to visit.

Then we happened to meet a cheerful man named Paranjyoti. He offered to be our guide for INR 100. Since we already had a car, it was a mere matter of driving from temple to temple while he offered insights into the history and the architecture of the Kanchipuram temples.

One thing that I can say is that the time we spent wandering through the temples was well worth it and in retrospect, I highly recommend Kanchipuram as a getaway destination or a longer pitstop.

1. Kanchi Kailasanathar temple

The oldest of the Kanchipuram temples that we visited.

Address: Pillaiyarpalayam, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 631501

Hours: Open 24 hours a day, every day.

The Kanchi Kailasanathar temple is oldest of the Kanchipuram temples. It is a Hindu temple that is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The walls of the temple are covered with ornate carvings. We were surprised at how well these carvings appeared to have been preserved.

The Pandit of the temple however informed us that the preservation of the temple was difficult because it had been plastered over during the British era. This had covered numerous paintings that were part of the temple’s charm.

The temple has 9 main shrines (seven inside and two outside). If that isn’t enough, it also has 58 small shrines that are all dedicated to the Lord Shiva. Each of these shrines is built into a niche in the wall.

2. Ekambareswarar Temple

If you look at the pillars closely, you will notice why the Kanchipuram temples inspire the weavers.

Address: Ambigapadeeswar temple, Kilambi, Tamil Nadu 631502

Hours: Mon-Sun: 6am -12:30 pm, 4-8:30pm

The Ekambareswarar Temple is probably the largest temple complex among the Kanchipuram temples. It covers over 25 acres of land and is said to be one of the largest in India.

The Ekambareswarar temple has smaller areas where people worship in different corners of its structure. Tall pillars are laced with intricate designs which are said to be the inspiration for the Kanchipuram sarees.

The Ekambareswarar Temple dates back to the 9^th century and was built during the Chola dynasty. This temple too was dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva.

The Ekambareswarar Temple was built in the 9th century and is remarkably well preserved. In fact, it still serves as an active religious monument and patrons come from all over the country to visit.

3. Karchapeswarar Temple

A glimpse of the one of the Kanchipuram temples.

Address: Nellukara St, Periya, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 631502

Hours: Mon-Sun: 5am-12pm, 5-8pm

We did not get a chance to enter this temple but our guide Paranjyoti told us that the Sri Karchabeswarar temple is famous because it has a thousand identical pillars inside it. From the outside, this Kanchipuram temple certainly looked magnificent. This temple too is in honor of the Lord Shiva.

We couldn’t really determine why we were not allowed to go in but from what we understood it was because there were ongoing renovations.

4. Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple

Address: W Mada St, Nethaji Nagar, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 631501

Hours: Mon-Sun: 6am – 12:30pm, 3:30-8:30pm

The Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple is another one of the old Kanchipuram temples that can be found in the city. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and I guess that is how the suburb gets the name Vishnu Kanchi.

The temple was built by the Cholas in 1053 and is believed to be one of the temples that Vishnu visited. That makes it very popular among his devotees.

5. Kanchi Kamakshi Ambal Devasthanam

A lot of the devotees flocked to worship at the temple.

Address: Kamakshi Amman Sannathi St, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 631502

Hours: Mon-Sun: 5:30am-12pm, 4-8pm

We did a quick walk around the Kanchi Kamakshi Ambal Devasthanam. This Kanchipuram temple is dedicated to Kamakshi who is said to be a form of the Hindu Goddess Parvati.

The temple was beautiful and it had a lot of work that was done in gold which glittered in the sunlight.

There are numerous temples that are present in Kanchipuram. In fact, Kanchipuram is one of the temple cities in India and people frequently go there as a form of pilgrimage.

It is amazing how much you can learn as you travel. Despite being Indians, our knowledge about this famous town was limited to the handloom sarees that are produced there.

It definitely felt good to get out and explore.

Have you been to Kanchipuram? Which temples did you visit? Let us know in the comments below.

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