Oldest Structural Temple of South India: Kai-lasa-Nadhar Temple, Kanchipuram

Wikipedia says that Kai-lasa-Nadhar Temple in Kanchipuram is the most established auxiliary Temple in South India. Amid one of my normal excursions to Kanchipuram, I went to see with my own eyes how a Temple was built amid 685 – 705 CE. Fortunately, this Temple has survived – verging on in place – for over 1300 years!

Kanchipuram is a South Indian town situated at a separation of 90 KM from the cutting edge Metropolitan city of Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu. This town has recorded history going back to the Tamil Sangam Period (3nd Century BCE – third Century CE). A couple of abstract works of the Sangam period have survived and specify Kanchipuram – that is the way we know now that it has been in presence, in any event from that point – it was most likely settled much before!

Despite the fact that Kanchipuram is a prominent Hindu religious focus, numerous (even in India) will be astonished to realize that Buddhism, Jainism, Islam (and now Christianity) additionally assumed a huge part in molding the way of life and religious fabric of the city. Sometime in the past Buddhism was far reaching in India. Bodhidharma, accepted to the third child of a Pallava ruler from Kanchipuram, advanced Zen-Buddhism in China.

It is said that Hinduism practically turned into a minority religion in India, which was likewise cleared by the rush of Buddhism. Later on, Shankaracharyas (starting with Adi Shankara) from Kanchipuram contributed significantly towards the restoration of Hinduism, the country over.

Prior to this Temple, there were others however they didn't have the structure we see today. Rock-cut Temples/Temples made of wood from the Pallava period (more seasoned than this one) do exist, yet the Kailasanadhar Temple was the main Temple to be worked with a Gopuram (tower), a Sanctum Sanitorium (Statue of God situated beneath the tower), pathway for circumbulation, four dividers over the border, and different components that characterize Hindu Temples, until today.

This Temple is thought to be a colossal accomplishment for the general population in those days as its arranging, configuration and development were basically venturesome – a task on this scale was essentially not embraced before (in this district). This Temple later turned into the motivation for the considerably more nervy 'Brihadeeswara Temple' in Tanjore.

Kanchipuram – I ought to have told before – was the capital city of Pallavas (a conspicuous South Indian tradition) and a Pallava King called "Rajasimha" orchestrated building this Temple. The establishment of this Temple was made of Granite and despite the dividers being made of yellow sandstone, a great part of the first Pallava engineering has made due with no significant redesigns. This Temple is in neglect for a long time now – perhaps that is the reason it has survived weathering and wars!

There are excellent stone-molds all over – On the tower, on the dividers, on the columns and all around else. All around the fundamental sanctum, there are 58 littler places of worship with octogonal towers situated beside each other shaping lovely symmetry. Every tower contains carvings of various types of God Shiva, to whom this Temple is devoted.

On the off chance that you deliberately see the photos, you'll discover a lion-headed creature cut on the columns. It's not a lion – it's a legendary creature called "yazhi" with a lion face. The story behind that creature is presently lost – individuals believe it should ensure the Temple. This legendary creature must be found in Temples built in the early Dravidian engineering period in South India. This Temple once in a while served as a fort for Kings amid fights and a mystery passage which permits them to escape somewhere else, has additionally been found.

This Temple is an ASI secured landmark now and there is very little group, which is a consistent component in most Indian Temples. ASI has benefited a vocation presenting greenery surrounding this spot and it's a flawless spot for traveling – for Indians and in addition nonnatives. This landmark is an absolute necessity visit for its history, as well as for it being a living-confirmation to excellent human undertaking, as ahead of schedule as seventh Century.

A Large Shiva/Nandi Statue @ Kanchipuram

When I was going to Kanchipuram from Chennai (on the Chennai-Bangalore expressway), I saw a vast Shiva/Nandi statue on my left hand side. This statue was found just before one takes a left to go to Kanchipuram from the principle street (primary curve) and soon after the L&T production line.

I got to be interested and went close to the spot to enquire with the security staff on whether I can visit the premises. He was glad to join me, show around the spot and answer my inquiries. I came to realize that this premise is not really a Temple, but rather is intended to be more similar to a landmark. It appears it is constructed and oversaw by Sankara Madam, situated in Kanchipuram.

The Nandi Statue is around 25-30 feet in tallness and the Shiva statue is around 60-70 feet in stature. I am not certain on the off chance that you can figure its range from the photos, however the statues are tremendous and are effortlessly noticeable from the principle street. It appears this spot is open for open to visit (there are no tickets).

He let me know something else that was considerably additionally intriguing. It appears, Sankara madam has additionally conceptualized a legacy/legendary historical center directly behind this spot and individuals can visit it to get a look at our fanciful history. He says media based shows are likewise included.

In any case, they require no less than 5-6 individuals to work imperative shows in that exhibition hall (guests in gatherings). Since I went alone, I was not ready to visit it. On the off chance that anybody can visit this spot, please share your involvement in the remarks segment underneath.

In the mean time, observe some photos of Lord Shiva/Nandi and a short video I took close to the landmarks.

A Museum in Kanchipuram – Shakuntala Jagannathan Museum of Folk Art

Shakuntala Jagannathan Museum of Folk Art is situated in a 400 year old legacy house called 'Brahma Mandiram' in Kanchipuram, close Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is found near Ekambareeswarar Temple. This house had a place with maternal predecessors of Sir CP. From that point, Shakuntala Jagannathan, his great little girl changed over this house into a historical center.

  

These are a portion of the customary musical instruments continued showcase. It appears to be, some instruments are not utilized any more. Musical instruments were frequently connected with particular social/religious services, in our way of life. The principle lobby (first picture) holds its conventional feel with a substantial wooden swing and a punkah for characteristic ventilation/breeze.

A great deal of metal/bronze items, statues and photographs are kept for presentation, in the lobby. It appears the corridor was likewise the venue of little girl's relational unions and chamber shows amid time long past times. There were three divider depictions speaking to three periods ever, from the antiquated (300 BC) till the twentieth century.

The conventional places of Tamil Nadu have an open patio in the inside (Nadumitham). Here, there is a Tusli plant (which is regularly worshiped) and the Tusli leaves are devoured alongside water, as Theertham. The Tulsi leaves have a considerable measure of restorative worth. I was additionally ready to see different sorts of lights and different handiworks in presentation. One painting kept right by this yard was 200 years of age!

Presently we go to the extensive kitchen with its countless number of vessels. As should be obvious, the majority of the vessels are substantial on the grounds that the nourishment was set up without a moment's delay for numerous families. Joint groups of those days didn't have faith in the wasteful utilization of assets, not at all like today. I saw extensive water boilers (Kodhikalan), espresso roasters, espresso channels and numerous more utensils.

 

In the principal floor, there were numerous items in wood and metal continued presentation. They incorporated some diversions (as appeared above), gems, garments and even a Thari (a man-worked machine that makes string for attire). Observe one of the rooms in the top with a support:

speciality of kanchipuram

Some time ago there was an expert weaver named Sage Markanda who used to weave for Gods. He even wove a tissue from the petals of the lotus bloom. He knew the most loved fabric of all Gods – he knew Lord Shiva preferred cotton and Lord Vishnu enjoyed silk. His mastery was gone on to his descendents which are currently considered as Kanchi Silk Weavers.

That is the tale of starting point of Kanchipuram Silk Sarees. Those Kanchi Silk Weavers are thought to be the ones behind the presence of this sort of Sarees. Kanchipuram Silk Sarees are no ordinary sarees. They are hand-woven in the town named Kanchipuram in India. The place where there is Kanchipuram is known as the sanctuary city or the city of thousand sanctuaries.

kanchipuram silk sarees

As indicated by the History, the city Kanchipuram came into fame 400 years back when two weaving groups – the Saligars and the Devangas relocated to the city from a neighboring state. These two groups were at that point well known for their silk weaving aptitudes and silk was truly exceptionally prevalent in this town and step by step Kanchipuram turned into the mother of Kanchipuram Silk Sarees.

In south India, these sarees are viewed as extremely uncommon. Being a fundamental piece of South Indian weddings, Kanchipuram Sarees hold a rich status. The sarees are viewed as exceptional for their prevalent and uncommon shading blends. These sarees cost anyplace between Rs. 2500 – Rs. 1,00,000 relying on the sort of work that goes into the saree.

Preparation of Kanchipuram Silk Sarees

These sarees are hand woven from unadulterated mulberry silk string. The local businesses of Kanchipuram are just into assembling the sarees not the crude material. The principle crude materials that go into Kanchipuram Sarees are – mulberry silk strings, metallic strings (Zari) and colors.

The Kanchipuram Sarees normally have three sections – body, outskirt and pallu. Three transports i.e. three single strings of silk yarn and zari are utilized to weave a Kanchipuram Saree. One more interesting thing about these sarees is that the configuration of outskirt and body are typically very diverse yet are conversely. In the event that, the shade of the pallu is unique in relation to outskirt and body, it is woven independently and after that precisely connected to the saree.

Traditional Food of Tamilnadu

Traditional Food of Tamilnadu

The sustenance from down South is altogether different from North India - much lighter and overwhelmed by flavors, fish and vegetables. Rice is a staple and a kind of short-grained, cushy assortment called Ponni is utilized most often.Few cooking styles use rice and lentils with so much innovativeness as them. Turmeric and tamarind discover their nearness in numerous dishes. Beach front ranges are the place fish is best, you'll find everything from King fish and Ravi fish to squids, mud crabs and prawns - the ones from Bay of Bengal have a tendency to be greater in size and juicier.

Tamil cooking in its legitimate structure is that of the Iyengars or Tamil Brahmins which stays consistent with its roots. It began from the custom of Annadana, a custom of serving nourishment to God and after that disseminating it to the general population in Tamil sanctuaries. The dinner is immaculate vegan passage served on banana leaves and is called Ilai Sappadu. "Sappadu" implies a full course supper that suits all the six tastes - sweet, sharp, biting, salty, impactful and astringent. It comprises of a ceaseless exhibit of dishes, for example, Poriyal, Rice, Varuval, Pachadi, Idli, Payasam, Sambar, Thokku, Vadai, Rice, Kuzambu amongst others.

"The Sambar from Tamil Nadu shifts from other Southern areas. It's tart and thicker with a greater amount of lentils and neighbourhood vegetables like drumsticks, brinjal, white and red pumpkins and doodhi. It has a particular flavour and fragrance that originates from including asafoetida or heeng. In Kerala, they utilize coconut. The one from Karnataka has an unobtrusive sweetness and in Andhra it is on the spicier side," shares Chef Naren Thimmiaiah from Karavalli in Bangalore. The dosas are fresh and paper-meager with a shimmering brilliant shade.

Tamil food is likewise vigorously impacted by its different rulers and remote motivations. Angaya Podi is a wonderful mix of flavors and herbs including dry ginger, pepper, cumin seeds, toor dal, Bengal gram, Black gram, dried manathakkali keerai, dried need leaves, coriander leaves and mustard seeds. It was made in the illustrious kitchens of Pandayas and Cholas. Generally eaten with hot rice and ghee, it serves as digestive guide. The utilization of sesame oil in most Tamil dishes is additionally accepted to be a culinary commitment of the Sangam period. Likewise, the area around Coimbatore is prevalent for its pastry shop products getting from the French cooking. The flaky puff baked good is a flat out pleasure. Together with neighboring urban communities of Salem, Tirupur, Erode and Palani it frames the Kongunadu cooking. It gets its exceptional flavors from the utilization of dry coconut, broiled turmeric and milk in curries. 

A Heritage House in Kanchipuram

Kanchikudil

You are about to step into a hundred year old house maintained intact with all the items used by the joint families back then. The name of the house is ‘Kanchi Kudil’ and it is located in Kanchipuram, a historic town in South India (Tamil Nadu). Kanchipuram was mentioned in Mahabyasa, a work of Sanskrit scholar Patanjali in 2nd Century BC. The history of this city extends to a few centuries before that! Kanchipuarm is famous for its huge Temples and silk sarees. It is one of the best cultural destinations of South India.

thinnai

As you can see in the first picture, there is a ‘thinnai’ in front of most traditional houses that is used for people to sit and enjoy the natural ventilation. It also provided a place to chat with neighbors. In the earlier days, it was quite normal for strangers coming from other places to sleep/take rest in the thinnai. The above photo shows an old teak-wood table and chairs kept in the living room (hall).

Kolam

Another striking feature of old houses in South India is this Kolam. It is a decorative painting, often done in front of the houses and in few cases, also within the houses. The ‘Kolam’ in the above photograph is permanent and painted, but generally it is drawn using white powder (what is it called?) which is temporary as it can be deleted and other Kolam designs can be made on subsequent days. Kolam is also found in pooja rooms in South Indian houses.

payi (mat)

Also faintly visible in the above photo (not sure if you can see it) is the payi (mat) and banana leaves laid in front of them. That’s how our elders used to eat food, served in the banana leaves and sitting on the mat in the ground. Right behind the glass showcase are two rooms. One is the grain storage room, where the accountant sits receives bags of grains and stores it in the storage area (made of wooden planks) in the top. There is another room with a cradle. Rooms have openings in the top for light and ventilation.

Golu

The pooja room is perhaps the best photo I was able to take! That’s because it had abundant sunlight from the adjacent open area that has a thotti for water storage and leads to the kitchen.  As you can see in the above photo, the statues and photos of various Gods are kept along with pooja items for worship. The various dolls exhibited on the left hand side is a part of the Golu, which is exhibited during the Navarathri festival.

family kitchen

When we go further down, we reach the family kitchen and wash rooms. Some crockery items used in the earlier days are displayed here along with the stove which used firewood or perhaps coal. There were quite a number of showcases with decorative items, mostly consisting of statues of God and a few toys. Have a look at one such showcase

History of Kanchipuram

The Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram- a UNESCO World Heritage Site

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

copyright @ wikipedia