Kanchipuram, the temple city in northern Tamil Nadu about 75 km southwest of Chennai, is the seat of several major Hindu temples administered by the Tamil Nadu HR&CE department. The three principal sanctums are Sri Ekambareswarar (Shiva, the earth element of the Pancha Bhoota), Sri Kamakshi Amman (Goddess, one of the three principal Shakti Peethas of South India) and Sri Varadaraja Perumal (Vishnu, one of the 108 Divya Desams). All three keep similar timings: roughly 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with the temples staying closed through the afternoon. This article covers the timings for each, the daily pooja sequence, the divisions of Shiva Kanchi and Vishnu Kanchi, and how to plan a single-day visit.
Daily timings for the three principal temples
- Ekambareswarar: 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM
- Kamakshi Amman: 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM (break also 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM if extended morning)
- Varadaraja Perumal: 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The afternoon break is enforced at all three temples. If you arrive in Kanchipuram from Chennai by mid-morning, you can comfortably visit one principal temple before 12:00 PM and the second after 4:00 PM. Fitting three temples into a single day requires either an early start (in the temple by 7:00 AM) or a willingness to break for lunch and return.
The five daily poojas at Ekambareswarar
- Ushakkala pooja: 6:00 AM (sunrise)
- Kalasandhi pooja: 7:00 AM
- Uchikkala pooja: 12:00 PM (noon)
- Sayaraksha pooja: 6:00 PM (sunset)
- Ardhajama pooja: 8:00 PM (night, before closure)
The Kamakshi Amman temple follows a similar five-pooja sequence; Varadaraja Perumal observes the Vaishnava sequence with the morning Suprabhatam and the evening Ekanta Seva at closure.
Shiva Kanchi, Vishnu Kanchi: the city divided
Kanchipuram has been a Shaiva and Vaishnava centre for over a thousand years, and the city is traditionally split into two halves. Shiva Kanchi (Big Kanchi) in the west holds Ekambareswarar and Kamakshi Amman. Vishnu Kanchi (Little Kanchi) in the east holds Varadaraja Perumal and a cluster of smaller Vaishnava shrines. The distance between the two principal temples is roughly 4 km, walkable in 45 minutes or a short auto ride.
Ekambareswarar Temple is one of the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams of Shiva, representing the earth element (prithvi). The sanctum houses a prithvi lingam, a lingam fashioned from earth, in keeping with this elemental association. The temple covers about 25 acres and the principal Raja Gopuram, completed under the Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya in the early 16th century, rises to roughly 59 metres (192 feet), among the tallest in southern India.
Kamakshi Amman and the Sri Chakra
The Kamakshi Amman temple is one of the three principal Shakti centres of South India, alongside Madurai Meenakshi and Kasi Visalakshi. The deity sits in padmasana, the lotus posture, holding a sugarcane bow, parrot, lotus and ankusha. Adi Shankaracharya is traditionally credited with the installation of the Sri Chakra in front of the deity and with the institution of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, which serves as the hereditary trustee of the temple. The Jagadguru Shankaracharya of this Peetham continues to oversee the temple’s principal observances.
For what it’s worth, the Kamakshi temple is the most worth lingering at of the three. The deity is unusually serene compared to fiercer Devi shrines elsewhere in Tamil country, and the smaller scale of the inner sanctum (relative to Ekambareswarar) lets you stand close. Allow 45 minutes minimum.
Varadaraja Perumal
Varadaraja Perumal Temple, dedicated to Vishnu in his “boon-granting” form, is one of the 108 Divya Desams sung by the Alvar saints. The current structure is largely Chola and Vijayanagara work, with a 100-pillared mandapam considered among the finest in Tamil temple architecture. The principal deity, Devaraja, is in standing posture; below the sanctum sits the wooden Athi Varadar idol, which is brought out for public darshan only once every 40 years (the last viewing was in 2019, the next is expected in 2059).
Reaching Kanchipuram
- From Chennai: about 75 km southwest. Two hours by car via NH 48 or the Chennai–Bengaluru route.
- By rail: Kanchipuram railway station is on the Chengalpattu–Arakkonam line; trains from Chennai Beach and Chennai Egmore through the day.
- By bus: TNSTC buses run frequently from Koyambedu (CMBT) in Chennai. The journey takes around two hours.
- Within Kanchipuram: autos and cycle rickshaws move between temples; the city is walkable in cooler months.
Major festivals
- Panguni Uthiram (March–April): the principal festival at Ekambareswarar, celebrating the marriage of Shiva and Parvati.
- Vasanta Utsavam (April–May): Kamakshi Amman procession.
- Brahmotsavam (May): 10-day festival at Varadaraja Perumal with daily vahana sevas.
- Navaratri (September–October): nine-night Devi festival at Kamakshi Amman.
Common questions
Is there an entry fee?
General darshan is free at all three principal temples. Specific reserved sevas (abhishekam, archana, kalyanotsavam) are paid at the counter according to the HR&CE schedule for the Shiva and Devi temples. At Varadaraja Perumal the Vaishnava sevas (Tirumanjanam, Sahasranama archana) carry similar reserved fees published at the counter.
How much time should I plan for the city?
A focused day visit covers Ekambareswarar, Kamakshi Amman and Varadaraja Perumal with about an hour at each plus travel time, so seven to eight hours total. A two-day visit adds the secondary temples (Kailasanathar, the 8th-century Pallava temple; Vaikuntha Perumal; Chitragupta) and the Kanchipuram silk weaving cluster. Most Chennai-based visitors do a single day.
What is the dress code?
Traditional dress is expected in the sanctums. Men: dhoti or trousers with a shirt; many remove the shirt at the inner sanctum. Women: saree or salwar-kameez; jeans are accepted in the outer prakaras but discouraged inside. Footwear is removed at the entrance and kept at the shoe stand. The Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham follows the standard Tamil temple convention for the Kamakshi sanctum.
One limitation worth noting
Slot timings for sevas, the festival calendar by Gregorian date, and the seva fees are revised periodically by HR&CE and the temple administration. Athi Varadar viewing is once every 40 years; the next event is decades away. For current information, the temple counters on the day of visit are the authoritative source.
For background, see Kanchipuram on Wikipedia and the Tamil Nadu HR&CE portal for the temple’s current pooja schedule.
