Kanchipuram - History
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Kanchipuram - History
Welcome to Kanchipuram / Kanchi / Kancheepuram / Conjeevaram
From the 3rd to the 9th century A.D. Kanchi was the capital of the Pallavas who ruled over the territory extending from the river Krishna in the north to the river Kaveri in the south. The Pallavas fortified the city with ramparts, moats, etc., with wide and well laid out roads and fine temples. They were a great maritime power with contacts with far-off China, Siam, Fiji, etc., through their chief Port Mamallapuram, the modern Mahabalipuram. The Cholas ruled this town from 10th century to 13th century. Kings of Vijayanagara dynasty ruled from 14th century to 17th century.
The temple tower, 192 feet height in Ekamabaranadhar temple and 100-pillar mandabam (building) in Varadaraja Perumal temple in this town are famous for the architectural techniques of Vijayanagara Dynasty. The British Viceroy Robert cleave, who is responsible for the British Ruling in India had exclaimed the architectural techniques of Varadharaja perumal temple and presented a fabulous jewelry to this temple. Kanchi was a major seat of Tamil learning as well as an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus.Once the seat of learning and religious fervour started its climb down from the mughal ionvasions followed by three centuries of colonial rule under the british.
Today, Kanchipuram is a small, rural town about 75 kilometres from Chennai (Formerly, Madras) in the state of Tamilnadu. It also serves as the district head quarters for the Chengalpattu district. Its economy is entirely dependent on Tourism and the well established handloom industry. Kanchipuram has thousands of handlooms and skilled weavers that make its silk sarees one of the best in the entire world. About 75% of the city's population is associated with the handloom industry in some way.
The Silk industry along with the city being the Capital of a Kingdom also brought people from various other parts of India over the years. Today's Kanchipuram is a cosmopolitan city with people speaking several languages.Other than the native Tamil, languages like Telugu, Kannada, and Saurashtra are also prevalent in the city.
With the Sankara Mutt acting as the hub of Hindu activities and the temples, Kanchipuram is still one of the most highly visited pilgrimage spots in India, and can rightfully be called the "Religious Capital of South India".
Moreover, almost all other religious cities in India support one of the two sects in Hinduism - Vaishnavism and Saivism. Kanchipuram has lended itself equally to both the sects, dividing itself into Vishnu Kanchi, surrounding the Varadaraja Perumal Temple, and Siva Kanchi, surrounding the Ekambaranathar Temple, while the Kamakshi Amman Temple stands in between as a place of Shakthi worship.
Surprisingly, the 'religious capital of South India' is also the 'Atheistic capital of South India'. The strongest ever anti-hinduism movement in India, namely the Dravidian Movement has had very strong roots in the city. Some of the movement's eminent leaders like Arignar Anna were born and bred in Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram was also the birth place of the first political offshoot of the Dravidian movement, the Dravidar Kazhagam.
Kanchipuram - History
Home » TamilNadu Districts » Kanchipuram » History
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