Kanchipuram, Kanchi, or Kancheepuram is a city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district. In ancient times it was called Kachi and Kachiampathi.

Kanchipuram is located on the Palar River, and known for its temples and silk sarees.

There are several big temples(including some of the greatest Shiva Temples of Tamilnadu, like Varadharaja Perumal Temple for Lord Vishnu and Ekambaranatha Temple which is one of the five forms of abodes of Lord Siva, (it is the earth abode here, other abodes include Chidambaram (Sky), Sri Kalahasti (air), Thiruvanaikaval (water) and Tiruvannamalai (fire)), Kamakshi Amman Temple, Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kumara Kottam, Kachapeshwarar Temple, Kailasanathar Temple and many more.

Kanchipuram is also called as "City of 1000 Temples". Kanchipuram is also famous for its silk sarees, which are hand woven.

Demographics

India census, Kanchipuram had a population of 152,984. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Kanchipuram has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 69%. In Kanchipuram, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
250px|thumb|right|Kanchipuram temple, engraved in 1811.

History

The term "nagareshu Kanchi" in the above verse attributed the famous Sanskrit poet, Kalidasa, means that Kanchi was the best amongst the cities of medieval India.

Kanchipuram is one of the oldest cities in South India, and was a city of learning for both Tamil and Telugu, and was believed to be visited by Xuanzang (Hsuan Tsang). It was during the reign of Pallava dynasty, from the 4th to the 9th centuries that Kanchipuram attained its limelight. The city served as the Pallava capital, and many of the known temples were built during their reign.

The king of Kanchi, Pallava Mahendravarman I was a great scholar and musician, a man of great intelligence and also a great playwright.
Xuanzang, the great Chinese traveler, visited the 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. The history of Kanchi can be traced back to several centuries before the advent of the Christian era. The place finds its name in Patanjali's Mahabhashya written in the second century BCE Manimekalai, the famous Tamil classic, and Perumpanatru Padai, a great Tamil poetical work, vividly describe the city as it was at the beginning of the Christian era. Pattupattu, one of the sangam literatures records that the king Thondaiman Ilandirayan ruled this town around 2500 years ago.
300px|thumb|right|The temple tower at a Kanchi templethumb|right|300px|Naga-worship next to the Sri Vaigunda Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram
From the 3rd to the 9th century CE 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, the modern Mahabalipuram. The Cholas ruled this town from 10th century to 13th century. Kings of Vijayanagara dynasty ruled from 14th century to 17th century. The temple tower, 192 feet height in Ekamabaranadhar temple and 100-pillar mandabam (building) in Varadaraja Perumal temple in this town are famous for the architectural techniques of Vijayanagara dynasty.
Robert Clive, of the British East India Company, who played a major role in the establishment of British rule in India, is said to have presented an emerald necklace to this temple (the Clive makarakandi, still used to decorate the Lord on ceremonial occasions).

Kanchi was a major seat of Tamil and Telugu learning as well as an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. Once the seat of learning and religious fervour started its climb down from the Mughal invasions followed by three centuries of colonial rule under the British.

Bodhidharma and martial arts

Bodhidharma (A.D. 520) went to China from Kanchipuram to spread Buddhism. He stayed at the Shaolin Monastery and preached Buddhist ideologies. At that time he trained the local people in the art of Varmakkalai. The art underwent many changes and came to be known as Shaolin kung fu or boxing.
In Japan it came to be known as karate and judo. But it is interesting to note that the Chinese school agrees with the southern school of this art in that it has the same 108 varma points.

The Kanchi Mutt

Kanchipuram is also the seat of the Kanchi maţha, a religious institution that became influential and famous under the leadership of Shri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati. This maţha says that Adi Shankara settled in Kanchipuram after establishing four Āmnāya maţhas in the four corners of India and that this gave rise to the Kanchi maţha. However this claim is disputed by the four original mathas who claim the Kanchi matha is only a branch matha. The followers of Kanchi Math however claim that this Matha was temporarily shifted to Kumbakonam because of which it was known as Kumbakonam Matha for sometime, and that later the Matha shifted back to Kanchipuram.

Jain Kanchi Mutt

Kanchi was a major Jain center. Pallava Simhavarmana had granted a village to Jain monk Vajranandi for the institution at Vardhamaneshwara Dharma Tirtha.
Acharya Bhatta Akalanka was the disciple of Pujayapada Devanandi. Winternitz, however, believes that he was a near contemporary of Acharya Samantabhadra and both of them lived in the first half of the 8th century. In addition to the commentary Tattvartharajavarttika on Tattvarthasutra, Akalanka wrote a number of works on logic, viz., Nyasavinischaya Laghiyastarya, and Svarupasambodhana. He was thus called a Master of Jain logic- Syadvada - Vidyapati. He was opposed by Kumarila Bhatta, the great Brahmin philosopher.
At Kanchi, Acharya Bhatta Akalanka defeated Buddha bhiskhus by 8-day debate in the year 643 AD in the court of King Hima Sheetala. It was also the home of
famous Jain Acharya Samantabhadra.

Hiuen Tsang was in Kanchi in the middle of the 7th century reported that he saw numerous Nirgranthas (Jain monks) at this place.

Tirupantikundram village near Kanchi was a Jain center with the seat of a Bhattaraka. Jina kanchi mutt later shifted to Mel Chittamur in South Arcot District where it is governed by the Bhattarakas with name Lakshmisena.

Kanchi Silk Sarees

right|200px|thumb|Silk Sari Weaving at Kanchipuram
Today, apart from its temples, this small town is also known for its thriving hand loom industry. Kanchipuram town is also known as Silk City since the main profession of the people living in and around is weaving silk sarees, more than 5,000 families are engaged in this industry.

The silk weavers of Kanchi settled more than 400 years ago and have given it a reputation as the producer of some of the finest silk sarees in the country.

In 1997, research indicated that the number of child laborers in the silk-weaving industry in the district of Kanchipuram exceeded 40,000. This included children who were bonded laborers to loom owners. The Rural Institute for Development Education undertook many activities to improve the situation of child laborers. Working collaboratively, RIDE helped reduce the number of child laborers to less than 4,000 by 2007.

In 2008, noted director, Priyadarshan, made Tamil film, Kanchivaram, about silk weavers' of the town, during in the post-independence period, it won the Best Film Award at the annual National Film Award.

Educational Institutions

Kanchipuram in history was also been known as the ghatikasthanam or place of learning. Today several educational institutions offer courses in engineering, arts and science, and medicine, in and around Kanchi. Notable among them is Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute located near Enathur, about 6 km from Kanchipuram. Since the Meenakshi Medical College was established in 2003, it has developed into a respectable institution of medical education. The Meenakshi hospital, which handles over 1000 outpatients every day, was established with modern infrastructure and facilities and provides service to many people in this area.

Kanchi Sri krishna college of Arts and Science. This is also a one of the best college in Tamil Nadu. The Kalsar College Of Engineering is located at the Mannur village. Asia's biggest International Library is located at Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi which is a part of Kanchi Mutt. This also runs the Sri Sankara Arts and Science college and Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Engineering College.

List of Temples

250px|thumb|right|Varadharaja Perumal Temple entrance250px|thumb|right|Kamakshi Amman temple250px|thumb|right|A gopuram of the Ekambareshwar temple
Kanchipuram is a major temple city of Tamil Nadu. Vishwakarma Brahmin Sthapathis have shown their excellent architecture cognizance in planning the architecture and sculpting the numerous temples at Kanchipuram. The list gives the consolidated list of temples in and around Kanchipuram revered by the hymns of Alvars as well as Saiva Kuravars or Nayanmars.

List of Vaishnava Temples

• Varadharaja Perumal Temple

• Ashtabujakaram - Sri Adhikesava Perumal Temple

• Tiruvekkaa - Sri Yathothkari Temple

• Tiruththanka - Sri Deepa prakasa Perumal Temple

• Tiruvelukkai - Sri Azhagiya Singar Temple

• Neervalur - Sri Veetrirunda Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple

• Tirukalvanoor - Sri Adi Varaha Swami Temple

• Tiruoorakam - Sri Ulaganatha Swami Temple

• Tiruneeragam - Sri Jagadeeshwarar Temple

• Tirukaaragam - Sri Karunagara Perumal Temple

• Tirukaarvaanam - Sri Tirukaarvarnar Temple

• Tiruparamechura Vinnagaram - Sri Vaikunda Perumal Temple

• Tirupavalavannam - Sri Pavala Vanar Temple

• Tirupaadagam - Sri Pandava Thoodar Temple

• Tirunilaaththingalthundam - Sri Nilathingal Thundathan Perumal Temple

• Tirupputkuzhi - Sri Vijaya Raghava Perumal Temple

• Parithiyur-Kalyana Varadharaja Perumal Temple

• Sri Aadhi Kesava Perumal - Kooran [about 8 to 9 km from Kanchipuram]

List of Saiva Temples

• Kailasnatha Temple

• Ekambareswarar Temple

• Kachi Metrali

• Onakanthan Tali

• Kachi Anekatangapadam

• Kachi Nerikkaaraikkadu

• Kuranganilmuttam

• Tiru Maakaral

• Tiruvothur

• Panankattur

• Sangupani Vinayakar Temple

• Vazhakarutheeswarar Temple

• Thirumetrali Temple

• Satyanadeeswara Temple

• Adhi Kamakshi Temple

• Kanaka Durga Temple, Koneri Kuppam

• Thiruparruthikundram - Jaina Temple

Institutions

Schools

• PTVS Higher Secondary School

• Baradhidasan matriculation Higher Secondary School

• Pachaiyappa's Higher Secondary School

• Anderson Higher Secondary School

• S.S.K.V Boys Higher Secondary School

• S.S.K.V Girls Higher Secondary School

• Mamallan Matriculation School

• Infant Jesus Matriculation Higher Secondary School

• Victoria Matriculation School

• Sangford Schools

• Annie Besant Matriculation School

• Dr P.S.S MPL Higher Secondary School*

Colleges

• Pachaiyappa's College for Men

• Kanchi Sri Krishna College of Arts and Science

• Pachaiyappa's College for Women

• Sri Sankara Arts & Science College

• Pallavan Engineering College

• Bhaktavatsalam Polytechnic College

• Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman College of Engineering

Universities and Medical Colleges

• Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Viswa Maha Vidyalaya (Deemed University)

• Cancer Institute

• Menaakshi Medical college

Politics

Kanchipuram is a separate assembly constituency.