Side Trips

Day Trip to the Sacred City of Kanchipuram

All of Kanchipuram's roads lead to goparums, the unmistakable temple gateways that tower over you as you prepare to enter the sacred shrines. This 2,000-year-old city of "a thousand temples" -- also called Kanchi -- features on many travel itineraries, and is best seen as a day trip out of Chennai. With a rich heritage, it's famous as a seat of both Shaivaite and Vaishnavite devotion and for exquisite silk saris. It was here that the Dravidian style really had its roots, and the sheer profusion of temples makes this an ideal place to get a feel for how South Indian temple architecture has developed over the centuries. The oldest structure in town is Kailasnath Temple (Putleri St.; 1.5km/ 3/4 mile out of the town center; daily 6am-12:30pm and 4-8pm), entered via a small gateway. Built by the same Pallava king responsible for Mamallapuram's Shore Temple, Kailasnath shows signs of evolution from its seaside forebear; it's also less overwhelming than many of the more grandiose Tamil temples.

The 57m (187-ft.) white goparum marking the entrance to the 9th-century Shaivite Ekambareswara Temple (Puthupalayam St.; 6am-12:30pm and 4-8pm; non-Hindus not allowed in sanctum) was added as late as the 16th century. Through a passageway, visitors enter a courtyard and the "thousand-pillared" hall (though the number of pillars has dwindled significantly over the years). Within the temple, a mango tree believed to be 2,500 years old apparently yields four different varieties of the fruit. Legend has it that it was here Shiva and Parvati were married, and that Parvati fashioned a lingam (phallic symbol) of earth, one of the five sacred Hindu elements. As a test of her devotion, Shiva sent a flood through the town that destroyed everything in its path except the lingam, which she protected from the deluge with her body. Be on the lookout for touts who will aggressively try to get a donation out of you at this temple.

Dedicated to the Shakti cult, which celebrates creation's female aspect, the 14th-century Kamakshi Amman Temple (Mangadu; daily 6am-12:30pm and 4-8:30pm) was built by the Cholas. Apparently, the tank there is so sacred that demons sent to bathe were cleansed of their malevolent ways. Other worthwhile temples include Vaikunta Perumal Temple and Varadaraja Temple, both of which are dedicated to Vishnu.

Note that, like elsewhere, Kanchi's temples close from 12:30 until 4pm, which means that you'll need to head out rather early or -- better still -- arrive in time for evening puja (prayer). However, traffic into and out of Chennai can get hellish during peak hours. If you're hot and hungry, head for the air-conditioned room at the vegetarian restaurant in Hotel Saravana Bhavan (504 Gandhi Rd.; tel. 04112/22-2505; 6am-10:30pm), where you can feast on reasonably priced South Indian dosas (savory pancakes) or order a thali (multicourse platter).

Kanchipuram is 80km (50 miles) southwest of Chennai. Ask about guided tours of the temple town at the tourist office. Otherwise, guides can be picked up around Kailasnath Temple for around Rs 250 to Rs 350 ($6-$8/£3-£4); ask to see certification.

Silk Route -- In general, visitors are drawn to Kanchipuram for two main reasons: its famed Kamakshi Amman temple, where the goddess Shakthi is worshiped, and -- with 75% of the population employed in the hand-loom industry -- its silk. The city is famous for producing the most exquisite hand-loomed silk saris in the world -- called Kanjeevarams, the bridalwear of choice that become coveted heirlooms. A single Kanjeevaram sari costs anything from Rs 2,500 to Rs 100,000 ($61-$2,439/£31-£1,235), and can -- depending on the intricacy of the pattern (often taken from temple carvings) and vividness of the colors (zari, or gold thread, is often interwoven with the silk) -- take from 10 days to a month to weave. Of course, you don't have to wear a sari to covet the silk; plenty of haute couture designers have discovered its beauty, and any fashionista worth her salt will include Kanchipuram silk on her wish list.

The World's Wealthiest Temple: A Side Trip to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh

Situated on a peak of the Tirumalai Hills, overlooking Tirupati (just across the Tamil Nadu border into Andhra Pradesh), is the second busiest and richest religious center on earth (after the Vatican), drawing more than 10 million devoted pilgrims every year. Certainly the richest temple in the world, the Dravidian-style Sri Venkateswara Temple is said to be the heart of Hindu piety, but in many ways it appears to exist expressly for the collection of wealth connected to a legendary loan: Lord Venkateswara, the living form of Vishnu, apparently borrowed an enormous amount of money from the God of Wealth in order to secure a dowry for his bride. Devotees donate generously in order to help their god settle his debt -- the loan must be repaid in full, with interest, before the end of this epoch. Annual donations of jewelry, cash, and gold (along with sales of laddus or sweets and donated human hair) total around 1.5 billion rupees. Much of this goes to the temple kitchens that prepare meals, free accommodations for pilgrims, and various charitable hospitals and schools.

The inner shrine is presided over by a diamond-ornamented 2m (6 1/2-ft.) black idol that stands at the end of a narrow passage. Pilgrims queue for hours, sometimes days, excitedly preparing for darshan -- the extraordinarily brief moment when you're all but pushed past the god by guards to ensure that the sanctum doesn't become clogged with devotees, many of whom succumb to the moment by falling to the ground. Waiting amid the mass of anxious, highly charged pilgrims, you'll get a good sense of the religious fervor of the Hindu faith. By the time you reach the moment of darshan, thousands of excited, expectant worshipers will be behind you, chanting Vishnu's name. Once out of the inner shrine (one of the few in South India that non-Hindus can enter), you'll make your way past a massive fish-tank-like enclosure, where temple clerks count the day's takings -- possibly the most cash you're ever likely to see in one place.

Note: As you're waiting in line, you'll see many shaven heads -- it's common practice for believers to have their heads tonsured before going before the deity as a devotional sacrifice. As a result, a lucrative human hair business contributes significantly to the temple coffers -- Far East and Italian wig manufacturers are major consumers of world-renowned Tirumalai hair, shorn by a fleet of barbers permanently in the service of the temple.

Essentials -- For information you can log onto www.ttdsevaonline.com for tickets, but you'll more than likely find everything sold out -- in which case you can try calling the call center (tel. 0877/223-3333 or 0877/227-7777, ext. 3679). The easiest ways to get here are by plane (the nearest airport, Renigunta, has regular flights from Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore); alternatively travel by train from Chennai (or Hyderabad, Bangalore, or Mumbai). To overnight, prebook a room at the dependable (and popular) Fortune Kences (tel. 0877/225-5855; www.fortunehotels.in; kences@fortuneparkhotels.com; doubles $55-$65/£28-£33), which is located in the heart of the town and draws the well-heeled devotees. Service is very good, and the hotel is comfortable (but not luxurious).

Jumping the Queue -- Wealthier pilgrims can now make use of a computerized virtual queue system that streamlines the darshan experience. Pilgrims buy an armband imprinted with their darshan time, shaving hours -- even days -- off their wait in line. Foreign visitors should bring their passports and appeal to the Assistant Executive Officer or A.E.O. (ask one of the temple police for directions) for a special darshan ticket, which costs anywhere from Rs 200 to Rs 4,000 ($5-$98/£2-£49) depending on the kind of speedy access you request (you will also be fingerprinted and photographed at this stage; ask your hotel if you need to book this a day in advance). Paid for at a special counter, it cuts waiting time to around 2 hours. Note that men must wear long pants or lungis; women must be conservatively dressed with long skirts and shoulders covered. Prior to entering the queue, you'll be asked to sign allegiance to the god. Avoid taking part if you suffer from claustrophobia, since you'll still have to spend an hour or two within cagelike passages designed to prevent line-jumping. Temple activities commence at 3am with a wake-up call to the idol (suprabhatham) and continue until 12:45am the following morning. On Sundays the temple closes.