Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram (or Conjeeveram), one of the most ancient towns of southern India, traces its history to the 2nd century BCE as an early Chola capital. From the 3rd to the 9th century CE it was the Pallava capital, and from the 10th to the 13th century it served as the late Chola capital. An important Vijayanagar town from the 15th to the 17th century, it was conquered by Muslim and Maratha armies in the 17th century and by the British in the 18th century, after which it was twice sacked by the French.
Throughout its history, Kanchipuram remained an important pilgrimage centre and was once a Jain and Buddhist centre of learning; the great Hindu philosopher Ramanuja (1017-1137 CE), the single most influential thinker of bhakti (devotional Hinduism akin to Sufism), was educated here. He provided an intellectual basis for the practice of bhakti, organized temple worship and founded centers to spread his doctrine of devotion to Vishnu and his wife Sri. Kanchipuram today is known for its silk fabrics and, with its 108 Shiva and 18 Vishnu temples, is considered one of the seven great sacred Hindu cities of India (the other six include Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Dwaraka, Haridwar, and Ujjain).

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