Names & Legend
Among the Shakti Peeths spread across the country, the Kanchipuram Shakti Peeth, often simply called Kanchi, is one of the most celebrated. The temple is known for the powerful presence and spiritual strength of Devi Kamakshi, and it is also a wonderful work of temple art.
When Lord Vishnu divided Sati’s body with his Sudarshan Chakra as Lord Shiva carried it in grief, a bone of Sati is believed to have fallen here. Other traditions connect Kanchi with Sati’s navel.
Location
Kanchipuram is in northern Tamil Nadu, in South India, about 75 km south-west of Chennai. It can easily be reached by train or by air via Chennai. Kanchi is one of the Sapta Puri, the seven holiest cities of India, and the only one in the South.
The Goddess & Bhairava
In the lists of the Shakti Peeths, the Goddess here is named Devgarbha, “she who holds the gods in her womb”, and Bhairava is called Ruru. In Kanchipuram she is worshipped as Kamakshi, “the goddess whose eyes fulfil desires”, seated in the yogic padmasana posture and holding a sugarcane bow and flower arrows. The Kamakshi Amman temple is the only goddess temple in the city; it is believed that all the power of the other goddesses is gathered in her.
The Temple City of Kanchi
Kanchipuram is called the “city of a thousand temples”. The great Ekambareswarar temple, where Lord Shiva is worshipped as Ekambaranathar, is one of the five Pancha Bhoota Sthalams and represents the element of earth. The Varadaraja Perumal and Kailasanathar temples are other masterpieces of South Indian architecture.
Kanchi is also home to the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, a monastery associated with Adi Shankaracharya. The revered sage Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, its 68th head, blessed countless devotees who came here. The city is equally famous for its handwoven Kanchipuram silk sarees.
Another Tradition: Kankalitala
Opinions differ about where this Shakti Peeth truly lies. A strong tradition in Bengal places it at Kankalitala, near Bolpur in Birbhum district, West Bengal, on the bank of the Kopai river. There, the Goddess is also worshipped as Devgarbha with Bhairava Ruru, and the name “Kankal” (skeleton) recalls the falling of Sati’s bone. Both places are visited by devotees with deep faith.
Festivals, Travel & When to Visit
The Brahmotsavam of the Kamakshi temple in February–March, Navaratri and the Friday worship of the Goddess draw large crowds. Kanchipuram has its own railway station, and frequent buses run from Chennai. The best time to visit is from November to February, when the weather is cool and pleasant.