Kamakshi, one who has eyes full of love, inspires the same feeling in those who come to see her. Nagareshu Kanchi! (A city like Kanchi!), it was said. A thousand temples in one place had to be without parallel. Even with less than a tenth left now, Kanchipuram remains one of India's seven mokshapuris - sacred cities that guarantee salvation, and the only one in South India. It is also called the Varanasi of the South. Each temple has a story, and each lane, bylane and street has at least one temple.

Kanchipuram's temples showcase some of the best in Dravidian architecture, an amalgam of styles introduced by the city's many rulers - the Pallavas, Cholas, Vijayanagara kings and Nayaks. In between the city also had to reckon with many invasions, when some of the stunning temples were used as garrisons. It was the British who introduced sericulture to Kanchipuram's weaving community. The legendary 'Kancheevaram' saris have since kept the city's name glowing like the shimmer of silk.