Kanchipuram is a famous city in Tamilnadu state of India. It is also known as ‘Brahma Worship‘ which is a translation of the Sanskrit word Kanchipuram, often called “The City of Thousand Temples“. Kanchipuram is famous for its beautiful architecture of temples, thousand pillar halls, huge temple towers and Kanjeevaram sarees because of its other name Kanjeevaram. Here is a detailed guide that will make your travel easy. These are some Famous Places to Visit in Kanchipuram.
The Best Places to Visit in Kanchipuram
1. Kamakshi Amman Temple
As soon as you start your journey of places to visit in Kanchipuram, The first attraction here is Devi Kamakshi Amman Temple, which is in the heart of Kanchipuram. Maa Kamakshi Temple is a part of the 51 Shakti Peethas where it is believed that the navel part of Devi Sati has fallen. Kamakshi devi is an incarnation of Devi Parvati, goddess of Love, Power and fruitfulness. Adi Shankaracharya is also associated with this temple.
The temple has beautiful Dravidian-style architecture where you can see Maa in a Sitting position. The Pallavas built this temple and then the Chola and Vijaynagar kings expanded this temple. Brahmotsav and Navratri are the two most famous festivals celebrated here.
Temple Timings: 5:30 AM – 12:15 PM and 4:00 PM – 8:15 PM
For detailed information like Aarti, Darshan timings, dress codes and accommodations kindly visit our blog on Kamakshi Amman Temple.
2. Ekambareswarar Temple
On your trip to Kanchipuram, this ancient temple of Ekambareswarar or Ekambarenatha is one of the most famous temples. The temple deity is Lord Shiva in its form called Prithvi Lingam. This place is called Panch Mahabhuta Sthalam. It has 1000 Shiva lingam carved out of a single rock and a 1000-pillared hall. There is a 3500-year-old sacred Mango tree in the temple premises which still gives fruits. To make your visit extraordinary, visit this place in Shivratri as it is well celebrated here.
Temple Timings: 6:00 AM – 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
For detailed information like Aarti, Darshan timings, dress codes and accommodations kindly visit our blog on Ekambareswarar Temple.
3. Varadharaja Perumal Temple
It is a temple of Lord Vishnu. This temple is a sacred one as it is from the 108 Divyadarshan of Lord Vishnu also called Vishnu Kanchi and it is also believed that the poetic saints also visited this place. It has splendid architecture and the idol of the lord is made of wood. In Vaishnavism, The temple is believed highly sacred and the lord is known as Perumal Koil. It is one of the famous tourist attractions and a top-listed place to visit in Kanchipuram.
Temple Timings: 6:00 AM – 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
For detailed information like Aarti, Darshan timings, dress codes and accommodations kindly visit our blog on Varadharaja Perumal Temple.
4. Kailasanathar Temple
Lord Shiva is the temple deity of Kailasanathar temple. This ancient temple is located on the bank of the Vegavathi river which was built by Pallavas. A marvelous Dravidian style architecture is made of sandstone. The Shiva lingam is of black granite having sixteen sides. There are around 58 smaller shrines except the main shrine in the temple. MahaShivratri is celebrated here and it is considered very auspicious to be here at that time.
Temple Timings: 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
5. Sri Ulagalantha Perumal Temple
Ulangalantha Perumal temple is the closest and one of the top places to visit in Kanchipuram after Kamakshi temple. The temple deity is Lord Vishnu in his form Vamana also called Trivikrama form. The idol is about 35 feet tall in a position where Lord Vishnu has placed one foot on planet Earth and the other on the skies. It is also believed that the foot on the skies is the same that pushes Mahabali to Patal Loka. Architecturally rich, this place is one of the 108 Divyadesam of lord Vishnu.
Temple Timings: 6:00 AM – 6:30 PM
6. Chitragupta Temple
The temple deity is very rare from the others. It is of Chitragupta, who is believed an accountant of Lord Yama- The Hindu god of Death. This is the only temple of Chitragupta which is very old. It was built during the 9th century by the Chola dynasty and further renovated by others who ruled in Kanchipuram. The idol of god is in sitting posture having a pen in his right hand and some documents in his left hand. It is believed that He takes note of all people’s good and bad deeds and it helps to maintain Dharma.
Temple Timings: 5:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
7. Devarajaswami Temple
The temple deity is Lord Vishnu. It was built by the Vijaynagar dynasty having ornaments engraved pillars. It also has a huge marriage hall that was believed to be in remembrance of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi’s Marriage. The unique thing is that it has a 10-meter-high idol of God Vishnu that is taken out once every 40 years for darshan for 48 days before it is immersed in a large water tank. Another striking fact is that there is a huge chain carved out of a single rock.
Temple Timings: 6:00 AM – 2:30 PM and 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Also, Check Kanchipuram Mukteswara Temple Timings, History & Architecture.
Places to Visit in Kanchipuram Other Than Temples
1. Kanchi Kudil
Kanchi Kudil is one of the most famous places to visit in Kanchipuram. It used to be a house later turned into a museum showing the ancient culture and heritage of Hinduism (Tamil). It is about a century old and attracted many around the world. There are many shopping centers and food stall which is famous around the Museum. It has paintings, various artifacts and sculptures from the various kingdoms. It used to be an ancestral property of a local later turned into a museum.
Museum Timings: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Entry Fee: 20 Rupees
2. Muttukadu
This beautiful place is around 70 km from Kanchipuram. The Muttukadu boat house is a perfect place for the people of Chennai as it is the nearest one(36km). It has a wide combo of watersport activities. It is operated by TTDC and is an ideal spot for picnics as well. The wonderful glittered blue sky and sea make an awesome view. It has a good food court facility. In February there is an annual windsurfing regatta organized.
3. Alamparai Fort
It is a less-known place in Kanchipuram. Today the ruins of the fort are worth watching as it was built in 17 th century in the Mughal era. It has around 15 acres of area. From this dockyard, several products like zari, ghee, salt, cloth and other products were exported. It is considered one must-visit place in Kanchipuram for history & architect lovers as the original site is almost ruined.
Waterfalls near Kanchipuram
- Shivasamudram Falls
- Hogenakkal Falls
- Manimuthar River
- Kiliyur Falls
- Barachukki and Gaganachukki Falls
Places to visit in Kanchipuram other than Listed Ones
- The Dutch Fort
- Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
- Anna memorial
- Mahishasuramardini Cave
- Mudaliarkuppam
- Crocodile Bank and many more
How to Reach Kanchipuram?
By Road
Kanchipuram is 75 km away from the capital city Chennai. It is well connected to roads. There is a good frequency of state buses to Chennai, Banglore, Hyderabad, Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry etc.
By Rail
Kanchipuram Railway Station is the city rail station. The nearest one is at 75km Chennai Railway station where you can get a higher frequency to local or metro cities.
By Air
Chennai Airport is the nearest airport to Kanchipuram. You can board your domestic as well as international flight from here. To get there, you can hire a private taxi or by train.
Accommodations in Kanchipuram
If you are planning to visit Kanchipuram, here are some options to stay with family. You can book your stay in advance with YatraDham.org. Here are some options for accommodations in Kanchipuram.
- Kanchipuram- Hotel Vasanth Villa
- Hotel Tamil Nadu
- Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Yatri Niwas
- Hotel Ramco Residency
- Geetha Residency
- Gayathri Stay
- Hotel Aalayam Yatri Nivas
As the distance between Kanchipuram and Chennai is less, If you want to stay in Chennai and explore different places you can book your stay at Chennai.
