The
history of Kanchi can be traced back to several centuries BCE. The place finds
its name in Patanjali's Mahabhashya, written in the 2nd century BC.
Manimekalai, the famous Tamil classic, and Perumpanattu Padai, a great Tamil
poetical work, vividly describe Kanchipuram city, as it was at the beginning of
the Christian era.
Kancheepuram
District had been administered by the Pallavas, Cholas, Vijayanagar rulers and
the British before Independence. It was a part of Tondaimandalam roughly
comprising the present day districts of Kancheepuram, Chennai, Tiruvallur,
Vellore and Thiruvannamalai. The capital of Thondaimandalam was Kancheepuram
city. From the 3rd to the 9th century AD. Kanchi was the capital of the
Pallavas who ruled over the territory extending from the river Krishna in the
north to the river Kaveri in the south. The Pallavas fortified the city with
ramparts, moats, etc., with wide and well laid out roads and fine temples. They
were a great maritime power with contacts with far-off China, Siam, Fiji, etc.,
through their chief Port Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram). The Cholas ruled this
region from the 10th century to the 13th century. Kings of Vijayanagar dynasty
ruled from the 14th century to the 17th century.
Kanchi
was a major seat of learning as well as an important place of pilgrimage for
Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. Daṇḍin has described it to be the best among the
cities (Nagareshu Kanchi), just as Jati (jasmine) is the sweetest amongst the
flowers, Rambha the most beautiful amongst women and Grihasthasrama the most
ideal amongst the four asramas of human life. One of the kings of Kanchi,
Mahendravarman-I, was a great scholar and musician, a man of great intelligence
and also a great playwright. Yuan Chwang, the great Chinese traveler, visited
Kanchipuram city in the 7th century and said that this city was 6 miles in
circumference and that its people were famous for bravery and piety as well as
for their love of justice and veneration for learning. He further recorded that
Buddha had visited the place. As regards learning, Kanchi stood second in glory
only to Banaras. Once the seat of learning and religious fervour, it started
its climb down with the Mughal invasions followed by three centuries of
colonial rule under the British.
An 1811 engraving of a temple in
Kanchipuram
The
British coined the name Conjeevaram, the anglicised version of Kancheepuram.
Under the British regime, a Collector to the district was appointed for the
first time in 1788 AD. The district was further split up into two divisions,
Northern and Southern, and was placed under the administration of two
Collectors. The Collectors during the 1790s were Clerk and Balfour. Lionel
Place, the Collector in 1794-1799, created the posts of Sharistadars, who came
under the control of the Collector. Clerks were also appointed to assist the
Sharistadars. The famous Madurantakam and Uthiramerur tanks were created by
Place. Hodgson, who was Head Assistant to Place, succeeded him as the
Collector. The place he resided at Kancheepuram is still known in the name of
Hodgsonpet. In 1800, Hodgson was succeeded by his Senior Assistant, Greenway.
In
the 19th century, Karunguzhi became the headquarters of the district and it
remained so up to 1859 when it was shifted to 'Home Garden' Saidapettai, except
for a short spell from 1825-1835 during which Kancheepuram served as the
district headquarters. From 1859 to 1968, the Collector's office was located in
Saidapettai.
Post
Indian Independence, Kancheepuram city became the headquarters of Chengalpattu
district with effect from 1 July 1968. Then the Chengalpattu-MGR district was
split into two as Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur Districts from 1 July 1997. Thus
the new Kancheepuram District was formed from 1 July 1997, consisting of 8
Taluks, viz, Kancheepuram, Sriperumbudur, Uthiramerur, Chengalpattu, Tambaram,
Tirukalukundram, Madrandakam and Cheyyur
