KAMAKSHI AMMAN TEMPLE - THE NAVEL OF GODDESS SHAKTHI - KANCHIPURAM

 Sri Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple - The Navel of Goddess Shakthi.

Bhandasura the evil Asura was tormenting Indra and the devas. The devas prayed to Shakti in the form of a Parrot, residing on a Champaka Vriksha (Magnolia Champaka) at Kanchi. Hearing the plea of the devas, the goddess Kamakshi appeared from the Bila Dwara and destroyed the evil asura in this place. The bila dvara leading to bilakasha or Mahameru can be seen today in front of the tapomagna kamakshI sannidhi inside the garbhagriha of the Kamkshi Temple.

The Kamakshi AmmanTemple is an ancient Temple dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi, the ultimate form of Shakthi. It is located in the historic city of Kanchipuram The Temple in all probability was built by the Pallava Kings, whose capital was Kanchipuram. The temple is one of the 51 Shakthi Peetham and is associated with the Navel of the Goddess, the Goddess was prayed to by Adi Shankara.

Kamakshi, Meenakshi & Akilandeswari from Kanchipuram, Madurai & Thiruvanaikoil respectively form the important centers of worship of Goddess, in Tamil Nadu.

The Idol of , Kamakshi, is seated in Padmasana, a Yogic posture signifying peace and prosperity, instead of the traditional standing pose. Goddess holds a sugarcane bow and bunch of five flowers in the lower two of her arms and has a pasha (lasso), an ankusha (goad) in her upper two arms. There is also a parrot perched near the flower bunch. Kamkshi is also revered as the consort of Ekambaranathar in the Ekambareswarar temple nearby. There aren’t any temple for the goddess, nor any shrine in any of the shiva temples in Kanchipuram & there is no shrine to Shiva in the Kamakshi Temple.

In total there are 5 shrines dedicated to Kamakshi,

1.The main deity, Kamakshi also known as Sri Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari.

2. Tapah Kamakshi – The goddess who prayed to lord Ekambarabathar under the mango tree and married him. Hence the lord does not have a consort in any of the Temples in Kanchipuram.

3. Anjana Kamakshi – Lord Rama prayed to her.

4.Swarna Kamakshi – Golden Kamakshi,created from the 3rd eye of the goddess,as the shakthi of Ekamranatha, also known as Ekambika. The original Idol is in Tanjore in the bangaru Kamakshi temple.

5.Utsava Kamakshi – The idol which is taken in procession during festivals.

There is a shrine to Sage Durvasa opposite to the Garbhagraha, who did the prathishtha of the Shakti Peetham in the form of a Srichakra. Adi Shankara the famous 8th century CE scholar and saint, re-established the Sri Chakra in this Kamakshi Devi temple in the trough-like structure in that shrine.

What to see :

1.Kalabhairavar & Mahishasuramardini Shrine embedded in the Main gopuram.

2.Dhwaja sthamba, Shakthi Peetham & the gold plated Lion.

3.Kamakshi devi in Padmasana – Main deity.(Unique, the sitting posture)

4.Other Kamakshi shrine.

5.Rishi Durvasa shrine Opposite to the main deity.

6.Shrichakra of Durvasa muni.

7.Nandavanam

8.Panchaganga Teertham.

9.Mandapam with its intricately carved Pillars.

Temple Timings- 5.30 AM to 12 Noon & 4PM to 8.15.PM.

Temple Contact Numbers : 044-27222609