Time for a Kancheepuram idli?

Right now, it is late morning and I wish that I had a snack or two with a hot kancheepuram idli or two. This idli is not like all the other idli's that one may have come across, rather it is hot, peppery and contains a few herbs or so that gives it a whole new tang.

Kancheepuram, the city of a 1000 temples or so has been in existence for a long time to come and so has this idli that carries the same moniker. To travel to kancheepuram, one can catch a flight to Chennai and from there rent a car/taxi or go by bus to this fabled city. This is a city that is steeped in tradition and if you are planning to flaunt your body by travelling there in a bikini, do not bother to go there at all. This is a city that still believes in the old ways and the quaint thing about all this is the atmosphere here.

One of the places that one must visit in Kancheepuram is the Kamakshi Amman temple, this temple was built by the rulers of the Chola Empire in and around the 14th century and its control lies with the Sankara mutt. The Sankara mutt is another place that one can go to for a peace of mind.

The oldest temple here in Kancheepuram is the Kailashanathar temple and this was built by the Pallava rulers around the 8th century. When you walk in such old temples, one of the things to hit you is the smell of bats. As the temples are old and as the rafters are old, the bats have got themselves a nice and cosy home. Remember that these structures are old and as such, bats and other avian creatures may have made home in these places. All that does is add to the already ancient air of these temples.

Normally, the westerners who visit here have certain preconceptions and all I can say on that is to leave your preconceptions at home where they belong. Please remember that you are not allowed to take photos inside of the temple and if you plan on still doing so, say goodbye to your camera.

The ambiance aside, there are very few decent hotels here in Kancheepuram. This place is literally like a time machine that takes you back a few centuries. All in all it was a very nice experience for me to visit these temples especially the Ekambareshwar temple. This temple has a very nice story to go with it and has a tree that is most definitely a 'must see' one. Have a nice time in Kancheepuram and have a idli or two!