Kamakshi Temple at Kancheepuram.

Kamakshi temple is one of the prominent Hindu temples and it is one of the fifity one shaktipeetas. It is situated at Kancheepuram, Tamilnadu. The diety in this temple is Kamakshi a form of Parvathi. This is the only temple of Parvathi in Kancheepuram.

Ayodhya, Madhura, Gaya, Kaasi, Kanchi, Avanthika

Puri, Dvaravathi Shaiva sapthaithe mokshadayini.

Above poem is of the names of seven Moksha Nagarams out of which Kanchi is the only one situated in  South India. In the name Kamakshi , Ka represents Godess Saraswathi, Ma represents Godess Lakshmi and Akshi means Eyes.  Kamakshi is having  Lakhmi and Saraswathi as its eyes.

The godess  done penace by sitting on the tip of the needle sorrounded by Pancha Agni's (Five holy fires) to be freed from livelihood. The Godess Kamakshi is in a sitting position in a lotus flower, the posture called padmasana.This place is called gayatri mandapa. She  holds sugar cane, bow on her left arm and 5 flowers and parrot on her right arm.  All the poojas performed in this temple are according to a book called Soubhagya Chintamani writtern the Saint Durvasa.

Aroopa Lakshmi: There is an idol called Arupa Lakshmi in this temple. The story behind this temple is

Once  Godess Lakshmi derided Lord Vishnu for his black colour. Immediately Lord Vishnu cursed Lakshmi to become formless. Then Godess Lakshmi came to Kamakshi temple and done penace near the Gayathri Mandapa. After a long penace she bame as Swaroopa Lakshmi. It is believed that whoever visits this temple after having darshan at Kamakshi will offer Kukum to Arupa lakshmi to fulfill their prayers. This is the only place where the idol can be touched by all people, in no other temples people are allowed to touch the idols except the person who performs pooja.

After getting back to form of Swaroopa Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu visits the temple to see the Swaroopa lakshmi and he is called as Kanvar Maha Vishnu or Adi Varaha Vishnu. This is the only temple where Godess Lakshmi will be in a standing position.

According to Makrandeya purana King Dasaratha, who belongs to Ikshvaku Vamsa  performed Puthra Kameshti Yaga here in this temple. After that Rama, Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrugna are born to Dasaratha.

Adi shankara, a saint travelling around the country once visited Kanchi. Then Godess Kamakshi is terrible and the sanctorium is hot. To typify her he sung songs namely Soundaryalahari which is a very beautiful set of poems by Adi shankara and established Sri chakra in front of the idol. All the poojas are performed to Sri chakra along with Godess Kamakshi. It is believed that during festivals when the Procession diety is taken out of the temple for procession it takes leave with Adi shankara before going out.

There is another story about a dumb man. A dumb man  named Mooka, who is an ardent devotee of Godess Kamakshi came to the temple and prayed god to remove his dumbness immediately she removed his dumbness and made him poet wherein he immediately sung songs on god by himself which are called as Mookapanchasathi, having 500 poems.

A beautiful and most popular temple to be visited at Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu.