Kanchipuram

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Kanchipuram (Tamil: காஞ்சிபுரம Kancipuram [ ka ː ɲʒipuɾʌm ]; short form Kanchi, formerly anglicised Conjeevaram ) is a city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu with around 165,000 inhabitants ( 2011 census ). It is located on a small tributary of Palar in the hinterland of the Coromandel coast, about 65 kilometers southwest of Chennai, and is the administrative seat of the district of Kanchipuram.

Kanchipuram, one of the oldest cities in South India, is one of the seven sacred places of Hinduism. Shiva and Vishnu are equally worshiped here.

History

Kanchipuram already existed in pre-Christian times. In Ptolemy is called as the name Malanga. In the 3rd century AD, the native of Andhra Pradesh dynasty of the Pallavas extended their sphere of influence of the city and chose them soon after their capital. The Pallava did himself as a promoter of Hinduism, yet Kanchipuram was also an important center of Mahayana Buddhism and Jainism. The Chinese monk Xuanzang who visited Kanchipuram in the 7th century, reported by 80 Hindu temples in the city and a large Buddhist monastery in the area. Even today, several temples from the 7th and 8th centuries of the heyday of the city. In addition, existing in the first centuries after Christ University was considered a significant site of Sanskrit and Tamil scholarship.

After the conquest by the Chola in the 9th century Kanchipuram lost, although its role as a royal residence, but remained an important religious center. From the 13th century it is often experienced changing rulers: the Chola followed by the Pandya, the Chalukya of Badami and the kingdom of Vijayanagar. End of the 18th century came Kanchipuram under the influence of the British East India Company.

Temple

Kanchipuram is also known as the "city of a thousand temples ". In fact, around 200 Hindu temples have been preserved, including several outstanding buildings from the heyday of the Pallava in the 7th and 8th centuries. Kanchipuram is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu and is adjacent to a lesser extent also visited by foreign tourists, often as part of a Tagesaufslugs from Chennai or Mahabalipuram. In 2011, Kanchipuram recorded a total of 4.4 million visitors.

Kailasanatha Temple

The oldest of all the temples still extant, which mainly consists of sandstone Kailasanatha temple dedicated to Shiva ( Tam Sivan ), was built at the end of the 7th century under further development of Mamallapuram architecture. To date, he has hardly experienced structural changes and is therefore regarded as one of the finest examples of early Hindu temple architecture in South Indian Dravidian style, which among other murals from the building time remained. To the east is open towards the central sanctuary that of a four-storey Vimana (temple tower) is dominated, seven smaller shrines are located, which are also crowned by small towers. To the east was originally a free-standing pillar hall ( mandapa ) follows, which was probably connected through another hall with the actual temple in the 14th century. In the perpendicular wall surrounding the temple complex with numerous small cells Vimanas are embedded. About the eastern entrance stands a tower, which already has characteristics of the later, magnificently designed Gopurams.

Vaigunda - Perumal Temple

This was built in the 8th century temple is considered a good example of the sophisticated architecture of the Pallava period. It is dedicated to Vishnu, who is represented in the three superimposed areas of the cella as a sculpture standing, sitting or lying. Especially artfully decorated with lions are the colonnades of the porch. Reliefs along the boundary wall of the temple tell the story of the Pallava dynasty.

Ekambaresvara Temple

The biggest temple Kanchipurams comes from the Vijayanagar period. It was built in 1509 in honor of Lord Shiva to a sacred mango tree. The 58 meter tall gopuram over the south gate is typical for the later Dravidian architecture. The actual shrine is located in one of the five courtyards of the complex and includes two porches. On the acre grounds are home to numerous smaller shrines and two ponds.