| During the 14th and
15th centuries Kanchu faced severe attacks from Malik Kafoor and Sultan Mohamed Sha of
Bijapur. Again the Sultan of Golconda around 1645 captured it, by the Mahrattas thirty
years latter and still later on by Zulfikher Khan, a general of Aurangazeb. The city
continued to remain under the Muslims till the middle of the 18th century when the British
took it over. The temples were used as forts for defence and attack during the Carnatic
wars. The French twice sacked the city, before it came under British rule. This in brief
is the historical past of the great city. Kanchi
is regarded as one of the three most important centres of Vaishnavism, the others being
Srirangam and Tirumalai (Tirupati), It is also regarded as one of the four Vaishnavite
centres in South India, with the addition of Tirunarayanapuram in Mysore. Every
Vaishnavite even today prays to the presiding Lords in these four places three times a day
from wherever he might be. In ancient texts, Kanchi is called as Satyavrata Kshetram.
Saint Poigai Azhwar, the first of the first three Azhwars, was born here and Sri Vedanta
Desika, the last of the Vaishnavite Acharyas, was also born here. |
