Deep Histories: Goddess Temples, Communities, and Memory in Kanchipuram

The city of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu is replete with temples, each of which serves communities ranging from hyper-local to regional and transregional. On a daily basis, devotees and consumers arrive in Kanchi in the morning on extended pilgrimage tours or in search of the perfect wedding sari. By evening, the visitors have departed, and the city returns to its residents. The temple dedicated to the City Goddess, Kamakshi, is always crowded. But it is in the quieter moments that one of the many other Goddess temples becomes most acutely alert, as local women gather and sing hymns of praise before their deity.

This richly illustrated talk begins with an overview of the multiple types and shifting meanings of temples in Kanchi built primarily between the eighth and thirteenth centuries, exploring why some temples have fallen out of use or become archaeologically preserved monuments, while others have grown to become immensely popular sites of active devotion, such as the Kamakshi Amman temple. It then delves into the deep history of a Goddess whose home and identity have been transformed on more than one occasion, erasing memories of that Goddess's past.

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