Kanchipuram – General Information
Kanchipuram
district is a district in the northeast of the state of Tamilnadu in India. In Early Days Chengalpattu is called as the District. In later Kanchipuram is
considered as a District. It is bounded in the west by Vellore
District and Thiruvannamalai District, in the north by Thiruvallur District and Chennai
District, in the south by Viluppuram District and in the east by the Bay of Bengal. It lies
between 11° 00' to 12° 00' latitudes and 77° 28' to 78° 50' longitudes. The
district has a total geographical area of 4,432 km2 (1,711 sq. mi)
and coastline of 57 km (35 mi).
The town
of Kanchipuram is the district headquarters. The Chennai International Airport is located in Trisulam in Kanchipuram district now under Greater Chennai
Corporation Limit. In 2011, Kancheepuram district had a population of
3,998,252, with a sex-ratio of 986 females for every 1,000 males. The district
produces over 15,000 engineering graduates every year, same as Gujarat state.
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. The city's historical monuments include the Kailasanathar Temple and the Vaikunta Perumal Temple. Historically, Kanchipuram was a centre of
education and was known as the ghatikasthanam, or "place
of learning". The city was also a religious centre of advanced
education for Jainism and Buddhism between the 1st and 5th centuries.
In Vaishnavism Hindu theology, Kanchipuram is one of the
seven Tirtha (pilgrimage)
sites, for spiritual release. The city houses Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple, Kamakshi Amman Temple, and Kumara Kottam Temple, which are some of major Hindu temples in the state. Of
the 108 holy temples of the Hindu god Vishnu, 14 are located in Kanchipuram. The city is
particularly important to Sri
Vaishnavism, but is also a holy
pilgrimage site in Shaivism. The city is well known for its hand woven silk Sarees and most of the city's workforce are involved in
the weaving industry.
Kanchipuram
is administered by a Special grade municipality constituted in 1947. It is the
headquarters of the Kanchi
matha, a Hindu monastic
institution believed to have been founded by the Hindu saint and
commentator Adi
Sankaracharya, and was the capital city
of the Pallava Kingdom between the 4th and 9th centuries. Kanchipuram has
been chosen as one of the heritage cities for HRIDAY
- Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana scheme of Government of India.
Etymology
Kanchipuram
was known in early Tamil literature as Kachi or Kachipedu but
was later Sanskritized to Kanchi or Kanchipuram. According
to legend, the name Kanchi is derived from Ka referring to
the Hindu god Brahma and anchi,
referring to his worship of Hindu god Vishnu at this place. The earliest inscription from
the Mauryan period (325–185 BCE) denotes the city as Kanchipuram,
where King Visnugopa was defeated by Samudragupta Maurya (320–298 BCE).
Patanjali (150 BCE or 2nd century BCE) refers to the city in
his Mahabhashya as Kanchipuraka. The city was referred to by
various Tamil names like Kanchi, Kanchipedu and Sanskrit names
like Kanchipuram. The Pallava inscriptions from (250–355) and the
inscriptions of the Chalukya
dynasty refers the city
as Kanchipura. Jaina Kanchi refers to the area around
Tiruparutti Kundram. During the British rule, the city was known as Conjeevaram and
later as Kanchipuram. The municipal administration was
renamed Kancheepuram, while the district retains the
name Kanchipuram.
History
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brief details, please refer below link;
Geography
& Climate
Kancheepuram
district is situated on the North East coast of Tamilnadu. It is bound by Bay
of Bengal in the East, Vellore and Thiruvannamalai districts in the west,
Thiruvallur and Chennai districts in the north, and Villupuram district in the
south. It lies between 11° 00' to 12° 00' latitudes and 77° 28' to 78° 50'
longitudes. The district has a total geographical area of 4, 43,210 hectares
and a coastline of 57 km. The table below shows the maximum and minimum
temperatures experienced in the district during different seasons.
Summer
|
Winter
|
|
Max.
|
48.8 °C (119.8 °F)
|
38.7 °C (101.7 °F)
|
Min.
|
20.1 °C (68.2 °F)
|
10.0 °C (50.0 °F)
|
The
pre-monsoon rainfall is almost uniform throughout the district. The coastal
regions receive more rainfall than the interior ones. The district is mainly
dependent on the monsoon rains. Failure of monsoon leads to distress condition.
Northeast and Southwest monsoon are the major donors, with 54% and 36%
contribution each to the total annual rainfall. During normal monsoon, the
district receives a rainfall of 1200 mm.
The
Palar river is the most important river running through the district. Through
most of the year it remains dry, attributed to the construction of dams across
the river in Andhra Pradesh. There are only a few hills of considerable
elevation in the district. The southern part of Maduranthakam taluk contains
small hills. The total forest area in the district is 23,586 hectares.
Governance
Kanchipuram, the temple town, is the district headquarters. For
administrative purpose, the district has been divided into 4 revenue divisions
consisting of 12 taluks with 1,214 revenue villages. For development purpose,
it is divided into 13 development blocks with 648 Village Panchayats.
Revenue Divisions and Taluks:
Kanchipuram
District consists of 3 Revenue Divisions and 13 taluks.
Chengalpattu
Revenue Division:
·
Chengalpattu Taluk
·
Thiruporur Taluk
·
Tirukalukundram Taluk
Kanchipuram
Revenue Division:
·
Sriperumpudur Taluk
·
Walajabad
Taluk
·
Kanchipuram
Taluk
Madurantakam
Revenue Division:
·
Uthiramerur
Taluk
·
Madurantakam Taluk
·
Cheyyur
Taluk
Below
Taluks are Part Of Chennai city Region:
Alandur, Sholinganallur, Pallavaram, Tambaram taluks lies inside Chennai Metropolitan City
and Part of Greater Chennai Corporation Limit.
Demographics
According
to 2011 census, Kancheepuram district had a population of 3,998,252
with a sex-ratio of 986 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national
average of 929. A total of 431,574 were under the age of six, constituting
220,341 males and 211,233 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes accounted for 23.71%
and 1.03% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the district
was 75.37%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.
The
district had a total of 1,006,245 households. There were a total of 1,673,814
workers, comprising 74,761 cultivators, 162,494 main agricultural labourers,
41,149 in house hold industries, 1,088,974 other workers, 306,436 marginal
workers, 14,582 marginal cultivators, 110,020 marginal agricultural labourers,
13,583 marginal workers in household industries and 168,251 other marginal
workers.
Economy
Agriculture
is the main occupation of the people with 47% of the population engaged in it.
Paddy is the major crop cultivated in this district. Groundnuts, Sugarcane,
Cereals & Millets and Pulses are the other major crops cultivated. 76.50
Metric Tonnes lands are cultivated in Fuel wood and 8.039 Tonnes in Cashew.
Palar river along with Tanks and wells are the main sources of irrigation in
this district. Kancheepuram is also known as 'Silk City' and 'Temple City',
since one of the main professions of the people living in and around is weaving
silk Sarees. 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.
More
than 70 percent of the 163 notified areas (megalithic sites) in the state of
Tamilnadu are in Kancheepuram district, including those at, Erumaiyur, Nandambakkam,
Sirukalathur, Sikarayapuram, Ayyancheri, Kilambakkam and Nanmangalam. Kanchipuram
is also one of the most industrialized districts in the country; Kanchipuram
district has a many automobile manufacture such as Hyundai, Nissan, ford, BMW,
Daimler and Yamaha etc. thanks to its proximity to the state capital Chennai.
Areas surrounding Sriperumpudur have turned out to become one of the largest
manufacturing hubs of India. The district is home to the manufacturing units of
Hyundai, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nokia, Samsung, Dell, Saint Gobain, etc.
The
district is also at the center of the Information Technology boom in India.
Many multinational IT companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys,
Wipro Technologies, Cognizant Technology Solutions, etc. have set up their
offices in Kanchipuram district. TCS and Infosys have built huge offices with
capacities of 22,000 and 25,000 employees, respectively.
Religion
Buddhism:
Buddhism
is believed to have flourished in Kanchipuram between the 1st and 5th
centuries. Some notable Buddhists associated with Kanchipuram are Aryadeva (2nd–3rd centuries) – a successor of Nagarjuna of Nalanda University, Dignaga and the Pali commentators Buddhaghosa & Dhammapala. According to a popular tradition, Bodhidharma, a 5th/6th-century Buddhist monk and founder of Shaolin
Kung Fu was the third son of
a Pallava king from Kanchipuram. However, other traditions ascribe his
origins to other places in Asia. Buddhists institutions from Kanchipuram were
instrumental in spreading Theravada Buddhism to the Mon
people of Myanmar and Thailand who in return spread the religion to
the incoming Burmese and Thai
people.
Jainism:
It is
thought that Jainism was introduced into Kanchipuram by Kunda Kundacharya (1st
century). Jainism spread to the city by Akalanka (3rd century). Kalabhras, the rulers of Kanchipuram before the Pallavas,
followed Jainism which gained popularity from royal patronage. The Pallava
kings, Simhavishnu, Mahendra Varman and Simhavarman (550–560) followed Jainism,
until the advent of Nayanmars and Azhwars during the 6th and 7th centuries. Mahendravarman
I converted from Jainism to Hinduism under the
influence of the Nayanmar, Appar, was the turning point in the religious
geography.
The two
sects of Hinduism, Saivism and Vaishnavism were revived under the influence of Adi
Sankara and Ramanuja respectively. Later Cholas and Vijayanagara
kings tolerated Jainism, and the religion was still practised in Kanchi. Trilokyanatha/Chandraprabha temple is a twin Jain temple that has inscriptions from
Pallava king, Narasimhavarman II and the Chola kings Rajendra Chola I, Kulothunga Chola I and Vikrama
Chola, and the Kanarese
inscriptions of Krishnadevaraya. The temple is maintained by Tamilnadu archaeological
department.
Hinduism:
Hindus
regard Kanchipuram to be one of the seven holiest cities in India, the Sapta
Puri. According to Hinduism, a kshetra is a sacred ground, a field of active power, and a
place where final attainment, or moksha, can be obtained. The Garuda
Purana says that seven
cities, including Kanchipuram are providers of moksha. The city is a
pilgrimage site for both Saivites and Vaishnavites. It has close to 108 Shiva temples.
Ekambareswarar Temple in northern Kanchipuram, dedicated to Shiva, is the largest temple in the city. Its gateway
tower, or gopuram, is 59 metres (194 ft.) tall, making it one the
tallest temple towers in India. The temple is one of five called Pancha Bhoota Stalams, which represent the manifestation of the five prime
elements of nature; land, water, air, sky, and fire. Ekambareswarar temple
represents earth.
Kailasanathar Temple, dedicated to Shiva and built by the Pallavas, is the
oldest Hindu temple in existence and is declared an archaeological monument by
the Archaeological Survey of India. It has a series of cells with sculptures
inside. In the Kamakshi Amman Temple, goddess Parvati is depicted in the form of a Yantra, Chakra or Peetam (basement).
In this temple, the Yantra is placed in front of the deity. Adi
Sankara is closely associated with this temple and is believed to have
established the Kanchi matha after this temple.
Muktheeswarar Temple, built by Nandivarman
Pallava II (720–796) and Iravatanesvara Temple built by Narasimhavarman Pallava II (720–728) are
the other Shiva temples from the Pallava period. Kachi Metrali – Karchapeshwarar
Temple, Onakandhan Tali, Kachi Anekatangapadam, Kuranganilmuttam, and
Karaithirunathar Temple in Thirukalimedu are the Shiva temples in the city revered
in Tevaram, the Tamil Saiva canonical work of the 7th–8th centuries.
Kumarakottam Temple, dedicated to Muruga, is located between the Ekambareswarar temple and
Kamakshi Amman temple, leading to the cult of Somaskanda (Skanda, the child between Shiva and Parvati).
Kandapuranam the Tamil religious work on Muruga, translated from Sanskrit Skanda
Puranam, was composed in 1625 by Kachiappa Shivacharya in the temple.
Varadharaja Perumal Temple, dedicated to Vishnu and covering 23 acres (93,000 m2), is the
largest Vishnu temple in Kanchipuram. It was built by the Cholas in 1053 and was expanded during the reigns
of Kulottunga Chola I (1079–1120) and Vikrama Chola (1118–1135). It is
one of the divyadesams, the 108 holy abodes of Vishnu. The temple
features carved lizards, one platted with gold and another with silver, over
the sanctum. Clive of India is said to have presented an emerald necklace to
the temple. It is called the Clive Makara Kandi and is still used to decorate
the deity on ceremonial occasions.
Tiru Parameswara Vinnagaram is the birthplace of the azhwar saint, Poigai
Alvar. The central shrine has a
three-tier shrine, one over the other, with Vishnu depicted in each of
them. The corridor around the sanctum has a series of sculptures depicting
the Pallava rule and conquest. It is the oldest Vishnu temple in the city and
was built by the Pallava king Parameshvaravarman II (728–731).
Ashtabujakaram, Tiruvekaa, Tiruththanka, Tiruvelukkai, Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tiru
Pavala Vannam, Pandava Thoothar Perumal
Temple are among
the divyadesam, the 108 famous temples of Vishnu in the city. There are a
five other divyadesams, three inside the Ulagalantha Perumal temple, one
each in Kamakshi Amman Temple and Ekambareswarar Temple.
The Kanchi
Matha is a Hindu monastic
institution, whose official history states that it was founded by Adi
Sankara of Kaladi, tracing its history back to the 5th century
BCE. A related claim is that Adi Sankara came to Kanchipuram, and that he
established the Kanchi mutt named "Dakshina Moolamnaya Sarvagnya Sri
Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam" in a position of supremacy, namely Sarvagnya
Peetha, over the other Mathas (religious institutions) of the subcontinent,
before his death there. Other historical accounts state that the mutt was
established probably in the 18th century in Kumbakonam, as a branch of the Sringeri
Matha, and that it declared
itself independent.
Another
mutt which was famous in ancient times was the Upanishad Brahmam Mutt, located
near Kailasanathar temple, Kanchipuram. It has the Mahasamadhi of Upanishad Brahmayogin, a saint who wrote commentaries on all the major Upanishads in Hinduism. It is said that the great Sage, Sadasiva Brahmendra took to sanyasa at this mutt.
Other Religions:
The city
has two mosques; one near the Ekambareswarar temple was built during the rule
of Nawab of Arcot in the 17th century, and another near the Vaikunta Perumal
temple shares a common tank with the Hindu temple. Muslims take part in the
festivals of the Varadarajaswamy temple. Christ Church is the oldest
Christian church in the city. It was built by a British man named Mclean in
1921. The church is built in Scottish style brick structure with arches and
pillars.
Places of
Interest
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brief details, please refer below link;
Hotels
List
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Connectivity
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