Tracing the history of Kanchipuram through texts and tunes

The Hindu

17-06-2025

Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan wears many hats — epigraphist, historian, researcher, and passionate advocate of heritage and literature. In a scholarly lec-dem on Kanchipuram, he seamlessly wove together music, literature, religion, tradition, architecture and dynasties. His delivery, marked by classic, free-flowing Tamil, held the audience in rapt attention. Vocal support was provided by Bhavya Hari, whose thoughtful choice of ragas and singing complemented the narrative.
Organised by Sruti Sampada and titled 'Kanchipuram in Raga and Rhythm', the lec-dem traced 2,000 years of the Temple City's storied history, at Arkay Convention Center recently. At its heart, the lecture was also a clarion call to Carnatic musicians — urging them to expand their repertoire by embracing and popularising Tamil devotional compositions, many of which remain underrepresented on the concert stage.
The earliest literary reference to the city of Kanchi appears in the Sangam-era text 'Perumpaan aatru padai' authored by Kadiyalur Uruthirankannanar, observed Madhusudhanan. He added that the name 'Kanchipuram' came into usage a few centuries ago. During the Vijayanagara period, the city was administratively and culturally bifurcated into Shiva and Vishnu Kanchi, reflecting the twin religious traditions that flourished therein. Two rivers — Palar and Vegavati — flow through the city, nurturing its landscape and heritage.
The musical evening began with the Dikshitar kriti 'Chintaya maa', a composition on Ekamranatha in Bhairavi, preceded by the virutham 'Kallaa pizhaiyum' by Pattinathar. Madhusudhanan mentioned that the concert would also conclude in Bhairavi, drawing on the Puranic reference to Kanchipuram as 'Bhairavi Vanam'.
Ilanthiraiyan was the first known ruler of Kanchi. Then, the Pallava dynasty ruled for over six centuries, marking a golden era for Kanchipuram, beginning around the 3rd or 4th century CE, as evidenced by copper-plate inscriptions, noted Madhusudhanan. Subsequently, the city came under the rule of the Cholas and later the Telugu Cholas, with the Pandyas holding sway briefly. This was followed by the reign of the Vijayanagara kings, leading up to the British rule.
Hymns by saints and poets
Devotional treatises and compositions in Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, and Pali have enriched the literary and spiritual heritage of Kanchi. Saints and poets such as the Nayanmars, including the Thevaram Moovar and Manickavachakar, along with Bhootathazhwar, Peyazhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar, and the Carnatic music trinity have sung the glory of its temples and deities.
Kanchi is renowned for its three famed vimanas or koti-s: Rudrakoti (Ekamresa), Kamakoti (Kamakshi), and Punyakoti (Varadaraja). The city is home to as many as 14 Divyadesams and five Paadal Petra Sthalams. A particularly striking literary aspect, said Madhusudhanan, is Thirugnanasambandar's masterful use of prosody (yaappu), where he employs paired lines with identical phrasing but divergent meanings. As an illustration, Bhavya rendered the verses 'Paayu maalvidai' and 'Sadai anindhadhum' in Sankarabharanam, bringing out their nuanced meanings.
Madhusudhanan next delved into the context of the hymn 'Alam thaan ugandhu', in which Sundarar, having lost his vision completely, records the miraculous restoration of sight in one eye as he worshipped 'Ekamba'. Bhavya chose Kamboji for the verse, perhaps inspired by Papanasam Sivan's 'Kaana kankodi vendum'. Over the centuries, several poets have sung the praises of Ekamresa, including Kachiyappa Sivachariar, the Irattai Pulavargal, Kalamega Kavi, Madhava Sivagnana Swamigal and Kachiyappa Munivar.
The narrative then transitioned into Srivaishnava traditions and the Divyadesams of Kanchi — beginning with Thiru Athiyur, the sacred shrine of Varadaraja, and the four other temples situated in Vishnu Kanchi: Thiru Vehka, Thiru Velukkai, Thiru Attabuyakaram and Thiru Thanka (Thooppul). According to the 'Satyavrata Kshetra Mahatmyam', Lord Varadaraja manifested in the Punyakoti Vimanam from Brahma's sacrificial altar (yajna kunda) — a divine event that forms the axis connecting the five Vishnu Kanchi Divyadesams.
Thirumangai Azhwar's pasuram 'Solluvan sorporul' is the first of 10 dedicated to Paramechura Vinnagaram (Vaikuntanatha Perumal Kovil), famed for its architectural splendour, noted Madhusudhanan. The verses celebrate not only the deity but also the military conquests of the Pallava king, traditionally credited with the construction of the temple. Bhavya rendered it in lilting Maand. Another temple, Ulagalandha Perumal Kovil, encompasses four Divyadesams within its precincts — Thiru Neeragam, Thiru Kaarakam, Thiru Kaarvaanam and Thiru Ooragam. The same Azhwar, in Thirunedunthaandakam, masterfully weaves together multiple Divyadesams — mentioning nine in a single verse, beginning with 'Neeragatthaay'. The layered composition was sung in Hamsanandi and Desh.
While many acharyas have sung the praises of Varadaraja Perumal, Desika stands apart for his prolific output and philosophical depth. Revered with honorifics such as 'Sarva-tantra Svatantra' and 'Kavithaarkika Simham', he displayed remarkable command over both Tamil and Sanskrit, as reflected in his works numbering over a 100. Among these are six Tamil Prabandhams and three Sanskrit hymns dedicated to Varadaraja. In addition, he has authored stotras on other Divyadesams in Kanchi. In a verse from 'Meivirada Maanmiyam', Desika extols the glory of Varadaraja flanked by His consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi. Bhavya sang the verse 'Pedai irandu oranam adaindhu' in a delectable blend of Saranga and Brindavana Saranga.
Varadaraja is one of only four deities to have been praised in compositions by all three members of the Tiruvarur Trinity — the others being Kamakshi (Kanchi), Neelayatakshi (Nagapattinam), and Dharmasamvardhini (Tiruvaiyaru). Among the Trinity's offerings to Varadaraja are Tyagaraja's 'Varadaraja ninne kori' in Swarabhushani, Dikshitar's 'Varadaraja avava' in Gangatarangini, and 'Samini rammanave' in Anandabhairavi. Others who have sung on Varadaraja include Purandaradasar, Margadarsi Seshayya, and Walajapet Venkataramana Bhagavatar, said Madhusudhanan. The rendition of the Swarabhushani kriti captured the grandeur of Garuda Seva.
The next focal point was Kumara Kottam and Muruga. The segment began with 'Mooviru mugangal potri' from Kachiyappa Sivachariar's Kandha Puranam rendered in Shanmukhapriya. This was followed by 'Muttuppattu' from Thiruppugazh in Kathanakuthuhalam, and 'Ponkulavum andam' from Chidambara Munivar's 'Kshethirakovai Pillaithamizh', set in Valaji. Arunagirinathar's contribution to the repertoire of talam and sandham is immense — his compositions stand out for their astonishing rhythmic intricacy and cryptic poesy.
Bringing the evening to a poignant close was the focus on Kamakshi, through two evocative renditions. The first was the shloka 'Raaka chandra' from Mooka Panchasati, composed by Mooka Kavi, tuned in Hamirkalyani and Sindhubhairavi. Born mute, the poet is believed to have miraculously gained the power of speech by the divine grace of Kamakshi, and composed 500 Sanskrit verses. While Dikshitar has several kritis to his credit on Kamakshi, it was Syama Sastri who held her as his ishta devatha. An excerpt from his Bhairavi swarajathi provided a perfect finale.