An ancient temple located in the temple town is the Ekambareswarar Temple. The vast expanse of the temple has the Prithvi Lingam representing Earth- one of the five basic elements. It is one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalam [five elements of Nature] representing Prithivi [Earth]. The Single Mango Tree in the outer court is revered as most sacred and it is believed, if worshipped by childless couple, will be blessed with a child. It is the first among the seven prime pilgrim centres in India. Built by the kings of the Pallava dynasty, it has a Dravidian style of architecture with the presiding deity as Lord Shiva. The Panguni festival is the major celebration of the temple known as the thirukalyanam lasting for 13 days. There is no separate shrine for the Goddess Parvati here. An important feature of the temple is the Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, meaning the hallway with a thousand pillars. Inside the temple complex there is a long passage with meticulously carved pillars which is a photographer’s delight.

One of the oldest structures of Kanchipuram, the Kailasanathar Temple has a number of megalith rock kovils present. This ancient place of worship is an interesting specimen of the Pallava architecture with the presiding deity’s sanctum having a flight of 7 steps and narrow passages for the devotees to crawl through. The temple was constructed to honour the great Lord Shiva with it housing sculptures of Shiva in his 64 different poses of Hindu mythology. The interiors of the temple are adorned with beautiful paintings of instances from the Hindu religion. The holy place is an architectural wonder with exquisite sculptures and a well detailed edifice of Lord Shiva in the main sanctum. This holy abode in the temple town is a marvel for art lovers and pilgrims.

Located in the holy town of Kanchipuram is the Varadharaja Perumal Temple, one of the celebrated divya desams in India. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the vast expanse of the temple is intimidating to all the visitors. The temple is most sought by devotees to wash off their sins and seek the Lord’s blessings. One of the most divine places of Kanchipuram, it is also known as Hastagiri. It is the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu and the temple grounds has collections of sculptures and carved pillars and holy paintings. The main deity is the Varadharaja Perumal housed inside the main sanctum. The temple along with its intricate architecture and beauty and traditions depicts the revered honour and artistic work of the Pallava dynasty. It is an important religious centre that is a must visit location.