Top 10 Temples in Kanchipuram , Tourist Places, Activities & More

Temples in Kanchipuram Overview

Ekambaranathar Temple
Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple
Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple
Varadaraja Perumal Temple
Sri Ulagalandha Perumal Temple
Sri Vaikunda Perumal Temple
Sri Muktheeswarar Temple
Iravatanesvara Temple
Chitragupta Temple
Trilokyanatha Temple

About the Temples in Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram is a district located in Tamil Nadu, a state in south India. It is a holy place with countless Hindu temples built by the famous kings of ancient times. The place is so divine that it is one of the seven pilgrimage sites in India known as ‘Sapta Puri’. It was also the capital of the then-Pallava dynasty.

Most of the temples in Kanchipuram have Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu as the main idols to worship. Temples in Kanchipuram are a real paradise for the devotees of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Goddess Shakthi.

Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Space are considered the five supreme elements that define and control cosmic energies. This is according to the beliefs of Hinduism. They are collectively called Pancha Bhootas. Lord Shiva appears in each of these forms in five different temples all over India. Lord Shiva gives darshan in the form of Earth as ‘Prithivi Lingam’ in Ekambareswarar temple of Kanchipuram.

It is so fascinating that UNESCO - World Heritage Site has included the ‘Temples in Kanchipuram’ under its tentative lists. Recently, India has submitted a nomination to UNESCO about the cultural importance of the temples in Kanchipuram.

Kanchipuram is one of the Oldest places in Tamilnadu. Many of the famous Tamil and Sanskrit literature has a special mention of the place and the temples in Kanchipuram.

Famous temples in Kanchipuram

Ekambaranathar temple is the topmost among the famous temples in Kanchipuram, which is well renowned for its age-old Mango tree. It was built in the Chola dynasty and later developed by the kings of Vijayanagar.

The list of famous temples in Kanchipuram includes the Kailasanatha temple in one of the top positions. The Lord Shiva’s temple has historic importance for the shift in the paradigm of the traditional way of construction of temples. Older models of monolithic and rock carvings were replaced by structural architectures.

Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple is one of the famous temples in Kanchipuram. Goddess Lalitha Tripurasundari is the supreme power of the holy shrine.

There are many more famous temples in Kanchipuram such as Sri Ulagalanda Perumal Temple, Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Sri Vaikunda Perumal Temple, Sri Muktheeswarar Temple, Iravatanesvara Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Trilokyanatha Temple, Jvaraharesvara temple, Yathothkari Perumal Temple, Pandava Dhootha Perumal Temple.

Shiva temples in Kanchipuram

There are many famous Shiva temples in Kanchipuram. Ekambareswarar Temple, Muktheeswarar Temple, Karchapeswarar Temple, Kailasanathar Temple, Anekadhangavadeshwarar Temple, Sathya Natheshwara Temple, Metraleeshwar Temple are a few of the powerful Shiva temples in Kanchipuram.

Out of the 108 Divya Desams in India, 15 Divya Desams are located in the district of Kanchipuram. In the early days of the seventh century, the saints had portrayed these Shiva temples in Kanchipuram. Thevaram is a collection of Saiva poems about the Shiva temples in Kanchipuram.

Must visit temples in Kanchipuram

The ‘must visit’ temples in Kanchipuram are Ekambaranathar Temple, Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple, Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple, and Varadaraja Perumal Temple. For the devotees with a short and quick tour plan, it is advised to travel to these must-visit temples in Kanchipuram.

Ekambaranathar Temple

Ekambaranathar temple is so magnificent that it occupies an area of about 23 acres. It is the largest of all temples in Kanchipuram town. It is also referred to by the name ‘Ekambareswarar temple’. Lord Shiva is the main deity of the Ekambaranathar temple representing the ‘Earth’ among the Pancha Bhootas.

Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple

Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple is also known as ‘Rajasimhesvaram’ named after the Rajasimha king of the Pallava Dynasty. Lord Shiva is the main God bestowed in the Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple. A passage for circumambulation is available at the temple, which allows the people to look around the beauty of the sculptures and the meanings conveyed.

Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple

Goddess Kamakshi is seen in the Padmasana posture (sitting posture) at the Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple. There are four different entrances to the temple. It covers a land area of about 5 acres. Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple is one of the 51 Shakti peethas all over the country. It is also considered as the heart of Kanchipuram.

Varadaraja Perumal Temple

As the name depicts, Varadaraja Perumal Temple is Lord Vishnu’s dedicated shrine. It is also called Attiyuran or Hastagiri. A Most prominent feature of the Varadaraja Perumal Temple is that the Vishnu is seen in a reclined position with a length of around 40 feet. It is said that the statue is made up of wood from Athi (Fig) Tree.

Sri Ulagalandha Perumal Temple

Sri Ulagalandha Perumal Temple is the temple of Lord Vishnu. It is situated in near proximity to Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple. Saiva saints of ancient times had portrayed the glories of temples in the Divya Prabandham. Sri Ulagalandha Perumal Temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams in India.

Sri Vaikunda Perumal Temple

Sri Vaikunda Perumal Temple is also known as Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram. The temple has Lord Vishnu as the main idol of worship. It was built in the early times of the Pallava dynasty. Here, Lord Vishnu is seen in three different poses in the three sanctums that are built one over the other.

Sri Muktheeswarar Temple

Sri Muktheeswarar temple is one of the very oldest temples in Kanchipuram. Lord Shiva is seen in the form of Muktheeswarar. Also, the deities of Goddesses Jeshti Devi and Varahi Devi are seen. One of the most fascinating idols of Natarajar is placed at the entrance of the temple. Muktheeswarar temple is considered as one of the parihara sthalam.

Iravatanesvara Temple

Iravatanesvara temple is one of the temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is also commonly called Sri Jurahareswarar Temple. The inner sanctum or the Vimana in this temple adds additional glory to the place, which is circular in shape. Iravatanesvara temple is famous for its immortal characteristic, which is believed to shower with blessings for a long span of a lifetime for children.

Chitragupta Temple

Chitragupta temple is a dedicated and very rarely seen temple for the deity Chitragupta. According to the beliefs of Hinduism, he is considered as the assistant to the God of death or God who takes out the life of living things, Yaman. It is considered that he keeps track of all the good and bad practices of human beings on Earth.

Trilokyanatha Temple

Trilokyanatha temple is the famous Jainism temple dedicated to Jain Tirthankaras. It is also known as Jeenaswamy Temple or Thirupparuthikundram Temple of Jains. An idol of Neminatha is located to the South of the temple. Lokanathar is located to the North of the temple. Mahavira is in the middle of both the shrines and are seen parallel to each other.