Kamakshi Amman Temple, Kanchipuram – History
The
Kamakshi Amman Temple was built by the Pallava Kings to glorify the Hindu
religion. After being built in the 7th century A.D., the temple was again
renovated during the 14th by the Cholas. As per archaeological evidence,
Kanchipuram has been a hub of Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic
settlements. Numerous temples have been excavated from the area and Kanchipuram
is also popularly known as the City of Thousand Temples. The Vaishnavite
Tiruvekka or the Yathokthakari Temple was the first temple mentioned in
literary references. The temples of Kanchipuram are widely believed to uphold
the glorious history of this region.
Kanchipuram
has been the capital city of Pallava kings. The main deity, Kamakshi Ambal is
seated in a majestic Padmasana posture signifying peace, tranquility and
prosperity. The goddess holds a sugarcane bow and bunch of flowers in the lower
two of her arms and has a pasha (rope), an ankusha (goading weapon) in her
upper two arms. There is also a parrot perched near the flower bunch.
Surprisingly this is the only temple for Goddess Parvathi in the city of
Kanchipuram. The original Kamakshi Devi Temple is what is presently known as
Adi Peeteswari or the Adi Peeta Parameswari. This temple is adjacent to the
Kumarakottam and is near to the presently famous Kamakshi Devi temple.
Kanchi
Kamatchi Temple, or Kamakshi Amman Temple, Kanchipuram (Kancheepuram) is the
abode of Parvathi, Lord Shiva’s wife. Fearing the wicked Asuras (demons) the Devas
(gods) came here and lived as parrots in the Champaka tree and prayed to Devi
to free them from the terror of the asuras. She appeared, through the secret
passage called Pilakasam, in Kanchi to slay Bhandakasuran and the other demons
who were troubling the Devas.
Since
then, Kamakshi Amman resides is in this great shrine in the center of the
Gayathri Mandapam, that is said to have been built by the Devas for her. She is
a swayambu (self-manifested) deity in this temple. The city is linked to her
name as Kanchi Kamakshi. Adi Shankaracharya is closely associated with the rich
history of Kanchi Kamatchi Temple. The original form of Kamakshi was less
benign than how she is represented today.
Animal
and human sacrifices were part of rituals in ancient Shakthi temples. Adi Shankaracharya
led a movement to banish this aspect of Hindu worship, brought back
vegetarianism and in this temple, introduced the benign and peaceful
representation of the goddess by placing a divine Chakra (sacred instrument) in
front of the deity.
Symbolic
of this connection with Adi Shankaracharya, during festivals when the
processional deity is taken out around the temple streets, she first takes
leave of Shankaracharya in his shrine in the inner corridor. It is also
believed that Shankaracharya defeated Buddhist and other philosophers in this
place, sparking a revival of Hinduism. Local folklore relates this incident and
also says that other forms of Shakthi outside Kanchipuram continue to reveal
the fierce forms of Shakthi.