Kanchipuram

History at a glance

1. Puranic
   Parvati shapes a lingam from sand on the Kamba riverbank and does penance under a mango tree. The Vegavati overflows; she embraces the lingam to shield it; Shiva materialises and marries her, and is thereafter called 'He who melted in Her embrace'.
2. c. 3,500 years ago
   The mango tree is held to have taken root. Its four branches bear four different mangoes, one for each Veda.
3. 7th century CE
   The Tevaram is composed. Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar sing Ekambareswarar, making it a PAADAL PETRA STHALAM — one of 275 temples revered in Nayanmar verse. Sundarar is said to recover the sight of his left eye here.
4. 700 CE — CONTESTED
   Rajasimha (Narasimhavarman II) builds the Kailasanathar temple in soft sandstone, with 58 miniature cloister shrines, Somaskanda panels and murals.
5. Pallava period
   The Ekambareswarar foundation is laid.
6. Chola period
   Stone expansion. Inscriptions record grants of golden lamps, land endowments for Vedic chanters and ANNUAL ALLOWANCES FOR TEMPLE MUSICIANS.
7. 11th-12th century
   Ramanuja is associated with Varadaraja Perumal — one source says the temple was once home to the philosopher.
8. Vijayanagara period
   The 11-storey southern gopuram is raised to about 192 feet, and the thousand-pillared hall is built.
9. Every 40 years
   Athi Varadar, a wooden idol, is brought out of the Varadaraja Perumal tank for a 48-day festival drawing millions.

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