Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism, 75 km southwest of Chennai, and was once the capital of the Pallava dynasty that ruled much of south India between the 4th and 9th centuries. The Pallavas were the architects of Dravidian temple style, and Kanchipuram's temples are among the oldest and finest examples of that tradition.
The city has over 100 temples, and several are genuinely extraordinary. The Kailasanatha Temple (8th century) is the oldest surviving structure, built of sandstone with a courtyard of small shrines — more intimate and human in scale than the later, larger temples. The Vaikuntha Perumal Temple is a Vishnu shrine of similar age with unusual carved narrative panels. The Ekambaranathar Temple (Shiva) is the largest in the city, with a 59-metre gopuram and a mango tree in the courtyard said to be 3,500 years old. The Kamakshi Amman Temple is the most actively worshipped, a major Shakti shrine.
Kanchipuram is also the silk capital of Tamil Nadu. Kanchipuram silk saris — heavy, rich, with broad gold borders — are considered among the finest in India and are a traditional wedding gift. The weavers' quarters around the temple town produce them on handlooms; visiting a weaving workshop is straightforward and the hard sell is usually minimal.
Day trips from Chennai are easy; the journey takes 90 minutes by bus or train.