Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple

I get the chance to visit to this temple. Located in the Kanchipuram city of Tamil Nadu, Kailasanathar temple was built during 685 A.D. to 705 A.D. i was amazed once i have entred because it is of stone built architecture unlike the rock cut architecture built into hallowed caves.

1. “T HE KANCHI KAILASANA T H A R TEM PL E IS THE OLDEST STRUTURE IN KANCH E E PUR AM . I T IS A HINDU TE M PL E IN DRAVIDIAN ARC H I T ECTU R AL STYLE”.

2. “ T YPICA L DESIGN OF PIL LAR WITH MULTI- DIRECTIONAL MYTHICAL LION. THE PI LLAR ELEMENT WITH MYTHICAL ANIMAL SHAftES ARE EXTRA FEATURES IN P ALLA VA STYLE”

3. A CIRCUMAMBULARY PAS SAGE, WITH A SYMBOLIC MEANING IS SITUATED ALONG THE COM POU ND WALL. IN ORDERR TO MAKE THE CIRCUMAMBULATION, THERE IS A NARROW ENTRY PA SSAGE WHICH DEVOTEES MUST CRAWL THROUGH. THERE IS ANOTHER BELIEF THAT COMftLETING THIS BY CIRCUMAMBULARY PA SSAGE THE POS SIBILITY OF REBIRTH IS NOT THERE AND YOU SHALL ATTAIN

4. THE LOW-SLUNG SANDSTONE COM POU ND CONTAINS A LARGE NUMBER OF CARVINGS, INCLUDING MANY HALF-ANIMAL DEITIES WHICH WERE POP ULAR DURING THE EARLY DRAVIDIAN ARCHITECTURAL PER IOD.

5. The vimana facing wall has very elegant image of shiva in a sitting position postures of peace and quietude known as Dakshinamurthy The north facing wall is a composition of tripurantaka flanked by tgoddess Durga with three ganas, and goddesses bhairavi, kausiki and jyestha. One of the unique features of this temple is the 16 sided Shiva lingam made up of black granite at the main shrine.

6. The 58 small shrines are built into the niches of the compound wall that encloses the main shrine. The shrines have three features, the sala, kuta, panjara.

7. THE TEM P LE COM PL EX IN ALL RES PEC TS AS IT HAS GARBAGRIHA, ANTARALA, MANDA P A, A HIGH COM PO UND WALL, AND AN ENTRANCE GATE, THE GO P URAM. THE TOWER HAS MANY LEVELS RISING.