Kailasanathar Temple
Kanchipuram's Oldest Sandstone Shrine
Overview
Kailasanathar Temple is the oldest temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India, and one of the finest surviving examples of early Pallava architecture. Dedicated to Shiva, it was built of sandstone in the early 8th century by the Pallava king Rajasimha (Narasimhavarman II) and completed by his son. Around its sanctum runs a ring of 58 small shrines, and traces of some of the earliest Pallava fresco painting survive on the walls. Quiet and uncrowded compared with the region's great pilgrim temples, it is an ASI-protected monument still used for worship. MyTripMyTravel visits it on an escorted Kanchipuram temple day.
Kanchipuram is called the city of a thousand temples, and Kailasanathar is where its story begins. Built in the early 8th century by the Pallava king Rajasimha, it is the oldest temple in the city and a benchmark of the early Dravidian architecture that later shrines across South India would build upon.
It is a quiet, scholarly pleasure rather than a crowded pilgrimage. A ring of 58 small shrines encircles the sandstone sanctum, carved panels of Shiva and his family fill the niches, and faint traces of some of the earliest Pallava fresco painting still cling to the walls.
MyTripMyTravel visits it early on an escorted Kanchipuram day, with a guide to point out the frescoes and shrine details, before continuing to the city's greater pilgrim temples.
At a glance
Kailasanathar Temple in brief
What to see
Highlights
The sandstone vimana
The early Pallava tower over the sanctum, a prototype for later South Indian temple architecture.
The 58 shrines
A ring of fifty-eight small cells around the sanctum, each with carved deities.
Pallava frescoes
Traces of some of the oldest surviving Pallava wall painting.
Somaskanda panels
Carved panels of Shiva, Parvati and the infant Skanda in the shrine niches.
The quiet setting
One of Kanchipuram's calmest temples, free of the crowds of the great pilgrim shrines.
Visitor information
Our tips
Come for the architecture and calm, this is a study in early Pallava building, not a bustling pilgrim temple.
An expert guide points out the surviving frescoes and the 58 shrine niches that are easy to miss.
Combine it with Kanchipuram's other great temples, such as Ekambareswarar and Kamakshi Amman, on one escorted day.
Good to know
Kailasanathar Temple, your questions
How old is Kailasanathar Temple?
It dates from the early 8th century, built by the Pallava king Rajasimha, making it the oldest temple in Kanchipuram.
What makes it special?
It is a benchmark of early Pallava sandstone architecture, with a ring of 58 shrines and rare traces of some of the earliest Pallava fresco painting.
Is it crowded?
No, unlike the region's great pilgrim temples it is quiet, which is part of its appeal for those interested in architecture and history.
Can non-Hindus visit?
Yes, it is an ASI-protected monument open to all visitors, while still used for worship.
Visit with us
See Kailasanathar Temple, properly.
A private, chauffeured visit with a licensed expert guide, timed for the best light and the smallest crowds. We fold Kailasanathar Temple into a wider Kanchipuram and South India itinerary, built entirely around you.
- Skip the queue where possible, at the right hour
- Licensed local guide who brings the story to life
- Private car and chauffeur, door to door
Plan your trip
Plan a visit to Kailasanathar Temple
Free, no obligation quote. Your details stay private.