Photo Credits: Ramesh Kidangoor

Kailasanatha temple is the largest and most important of the temples built by Rajasimha, the last king of the first Pandyan empire. Dating from the 7th century, this is one of the oldest temples in Kanchipuram and is a rare example of the Dravidian style. A wall of fifty-eight small shrines further encloses the main shrine.

In line with the sanctum of the main shrine are the entrance gopurams, sometimes on all four sides of the compound walls, a feature which dominates all the great south Indian temple cities of a later age. A huge stone Nandi guards the path to the temple. (In Hindhu mythology, the bull is Shiva’s vehicle.)