About Kanchipuram-Heritage City in Historical Gateway to South India, Kancheepuram

Kanchipuram city is situated in the south India and is also the administrative headquarters of the district of Kanchipuram in state of Tamil Nadu. It was locally referred to as Kachi or Kachipedu. Located on the banks of the Vegavathy River, Kanchipuram has been ruled by the Pallavas, the Medieval Cholas, the Later Cholas, the Later Pandyas, the Vijayanagar Empire, the Carnatic kingdom, and the British.

Kanchipuram is a spectacular temple city,known as ‘city of thousand temples’. It is one of the seven sacred cities (as per Hindu mythology) to reach final attainment. The city was also a religious centre of advanced education forJainism and Buddhism between the 1st and 5th centuries. The city’s built heritage includes the Kailasanathar Temple, Vaikunta Perumal Temple, Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple (haing one of the tallest temple towers in India),Kamakshi Amman Temple, Kumarakottam Temple et al. It is the headquarters of the Kanchi matha, founded by the Hindu saint Adi Sankaracharya, and popular as one of the four dhams of Hinduism. The city is also known for its culture and civilization.

Apart from its temples, this small town is also known for its thriving handloom industry. The city is popular for its renowned crafted world famous silk sarees and the main profession of the people is weaving silk sarees. As a result, Kancheepuram is also known as Silk City. The silk weavers of Kanchi settled more than 400 years ago and have given it an enviable reputation as the producer of the best silk sarees in the country.

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