Why I chose Kanchipuram as our destination?
Initially, we planned to visit Tirupati Tirumala pilgrim by the end of December 2023 and start new year with blessings of Lord Balaji, but I guess my life had other plans. Right after making the reservations, I came to know that due to Vaikuntha dwara, which is a festival of 10 days, I couldn't get the darshan since I had no prior hotel and special entry bookings. With that being said, entries were only for those who held a ticket, something I found out on the internet. I had to be flexible with my plans, and instead of canceling them, I decided to visit Kanchipuram. All we had was a Google Map with places to visit in the city. This trip was totally unplanned, and I had to ask the locals and other fellow travelers, hoping for the best.
Let's Begin: Day 1 in the "Holy city"
I boarded my train, Chennai Express, from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. We had our reservation till Renigunta Junction. On our way, we chit-chatted with the uncle above our seat, and he suggested that we get off at Arakkonam Junction and take a bus to Kanchipuram. After boarding down at Arakkonam, we enquired with the station master about the bus stand, and he guided us to the rickshaw stand opposite the railway station. We got a sharing rickshaw which took us to the bus stand. After waiting for some time, our bus arrived, and we boarded the bus to Kanchipuram. To my surprise, ladies travel free, but only in state-provided buses. It takes about 30-40 minutes to reach Kanchipuram from Arakkonam. The bus was crowded, and we had to stand all the way to the destination. After reaching the central bus stand, the first thing I searched for was a place to stay. There are plenty of accommodation options in the city; you can make bookings prior to your visit or just choose once you arrive.Memorable Encounter: (you may skip)
We happened to ask the guy just behind us for any accommodation options if he's aware of in Kanchipuram. After a small talk, we came to know that he was heading to the same place for auditing and was kind enough to help us out with accommodation. He took us to the Hotel Ramco Residency, and guess why? Because the branch he went to audit, the entire property was owned by the branch manager there.
So, we decided to book a room at Hotel Ramco Residency mainly because it was conveniently located near the central bus stand and didn't break the bank. We were on a budget trip, so finding a place that ticked both boxes was like hitting the jackpot. Finally, we got to relax and refresh ourselves and had our first cup of delicious filter coffee for energy. Took a power nap for some time, and now it was time to visit temples. Please wear decent traditional outfits as some temples may prohibit you from entering. We also enquired about the places to dine at the reception desk, and they suggested a few.
Here are some pocket-friendly restaurant recommendations:
- Hotel Swarna Cafe
- Neo Sri Rama Cafe
- Surya Mess.
We ate a simple yet deliciously filling veg lunch at Hotel Swarna Cafe before visiting the temples. Most of the temples are nearby to each other at a walking distance. Here's a link to the Google Map we followed to visit most of the temples and filtered them by distance. So, there are timings to visit the temples in Kanchipuram of which we were unaware. You may choose to start your exploration as early in the morning(recommended) or later in the afternoon. Timings are from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. The temple remains closed from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. for darshan.
The first temple we visited was Sri Kamakshi Amman temple, which was at a walking distance from the hotel. We got in the queue. As I said earlier, there are timings so better not run out late in the evening as the place gets busy during the seasonal period. After taking the blessings of Maa Kamakshi Amman, we spent the rest of our evening exploring the other temples nearby - Adi Varaha Perumal temple, Sri Subramaniya Swami temple, Sri Vaikunta Perumal, Sri Pavala Vannar temple, and many more. You can pay a small fee for special darshan. This city has over 200 temples! So, as time permits, you may choose to explore this beautiful city. Enjoyed the peaceful view with the serene atmosphere around, the water fountains, and the lovely warm welcoming people there. After all the wandering was done, it was Snack Time! Tried Jigarthanda and most interestingly, Pani Puri. Wrapped our day with a cup of filter coffee along with some savories and headed back to the hotel with reflecting moments of the day.
Let’s resume: Day 2
Started our day early at 5:00 a.m. in the morning to avoid the crowd. It was time to explore the rest of the temples left on the map, which were farther than the temples visited on the first day. We hired a rickshaw to Varadharaja Perumal Temple, one of the Vishnu Kanchi temples. We visited the temple and took the blessings of Lord Vishnu. Explored the stunning temple surroundings for some time and directed ourselves to Ekambareshwar temple. As we exited, we met "Nandi" - our jolly rickshaw guy. We negotiated the fare to which he agreed upon and steered us to Ekambareshwar Temple.
Memorable Encounter: (you may skip)
We had a casual conversation with Nandi, and he shared with us that he is a Quality Tester at some company in Chennai and comes from an Engineering background. I was baffled hearing this, with a confused look on both of our faces, to which he explained that driving a rickshaw on weekends is just a source of side income. He also brought us to his friend’s saree shop.
Upon arriving at Ekambareshwar temple, I was amazed looking at those colossal gateway towers and the huge complex, the sacred mango tree and its story, and the colored kolams. The priest told us that it is one of the Panchabhootas - this one signifies the element Earth. The presiding deity here is Shiva, who is worshipped here as Ekambareshwar. The Shivlinga here is known as Prithvi Lingam. Even though the prasad laddoos we bought were stale, our visit was an exceptional experience. The map showed Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham around which was established by Sri Adi Sankaracharya. Sri Kachabeswarar temple was under construction back when we visited, but we were still allowed to enter for darshan.
We've been awake since too early in the morning, so we asked Nandi to drop us at Neo Sri Rama Cafe to have breakfast. We ordered ourselves idlis and tried Pongal for the first time, and yeah, no way missing a cup of filter coffee as an essential part of breakfast. It was tasty, especially Pongal, and kept us filled until lunch. We needed to wrap everything up asap and check-out of the hotel by 12 noon. We asked Nandi to pick us up from the hotel, and we headed to the last in the list- Kailasanathar Temple. So, you know that spot within the main temple called Padabhanda Adisthana? It's like the heart of the place, where you find these amazing carvings of gods and this badass sculpted Nandi just chilling outside, keeping watch over everything. The outer walls of the main temple – they're decked out with carvings. The temple is crafted from sandstone and has a nickname "Sand Temple" among locals. The foundations are made of granite. I think this place might just have some of the most stunning wall paintings. I noticed a few spots where the paint had chipped off in the corners, probably worn away over time, but it added this kind of rustic charm to the whole vibe.
Here’s the overall Budget bifurcation of the trip:
During our trip to Kanchipuram, I was fascinated by its rich tradition and the warmth of its people. I admired how effortlessly they paired tradition with modernity, especially in their attire. Communication was easy, with many locals fluent in English and Hindi. But what stood out most was their genuine hospitality – from welcoming smiles to helpful gestures. Alright, it was time to bid farewell to Kanchipuram and move on to our next stop, Mahabalipuram! We still had a good couple of days to kill before hopping onto that train back home.
