States of India
Union Territories
Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram is a pleasant rural town. The people are villagers. Generally they are not aware of their own great town. Visitor is always a respectable guest to them. They are usually very kind to visitors. Appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes you may find a man dressed in the simplest South Indian dhoti and shirt, riding down the road on a bicycle, but never be sure regarding his wealth. Most of the city's millionaires lead that kind of life. They are very down to earth personality but some of them are making habit of leading a luxurious life. A car is not so necessary for the veterans of the city's centuries-old silk industry. Inside the not-so-impressive house you see on a side street, you might find a bunch of handlooms running round the clock, earning up to a few hundred rupees every hour. Still, the bicyclist millionaire has all the time on earth when a visitor stops him and asks for directions and suggestions. As it goes with any part of rural India, women can be quite shy and may not appreciate a stranger stopping them to ask for directions or any form of help, especially if the stranger is not a woman. Avoid them. Don't get unnerved if they neglect you. It's not that they hate you. That is their nature to shy.
Language :
They do prefer English or Tamil. You find many of the people speaking Hindi.
Weather :
Throughout the year it is the same heat ranging between 28 C and 39 C. Rain occasionally.
Silk Sarees :
About 75% of Kanchipuram's population is dependent on the Silk Saree industry. The Kanchipuram Silk Saree is hand-woven with dyed silk yarn with interleaved designs made with 'Jari'. Jari is a Silk thread twisted with a thin Silver wire and then gilded with pure Gold. The silk thread used for weaving Kanchipuram Sarees is made up of three single threads twisted together. The Kanchipuram saree is a fine piece of art.
Places To See :
The Sri Ekambarnathar Temple
Is dedicated to Siva and is one of the largest temples in Kanchipuram, covering nine hectares. Its 59 m high gopuram and massive outer stone wall were constructed in 1509 by Krishna Devaraja of the Vijayananagar Empire, though construction was originally started by the Pallavas and the temple was later extended by the Cholas. Inside are five separates enclosures and a 1000- pillared hall. The temple's name is said to be a modified form of Eka Amra Nathar -- the Lord of the Mango tree. and in one of the enclosure is a very old mango tree with four branches representing the four Vedas. The fruit of each of the four branches is said to have a different taste, and a plaque nearby claims that the tree is 3500 years old.
Kamaskhi Amman Temple
dedicated to the goddess Paravati, this important temple is the site of the annual Car Festival, held on the 9th lunar day in February -March. When not in use, the ornately carved wooden car is kept partially covered in corrugated iron halfway up Gandhi Rd. The temple has a golden gopuram in the centre.
