I used to visit Kanchipuram for at least six times in a year during the eighties and nineties. The desire became too high when Kanchi Sankaracharya returned from his north tour and decided to stay in the mutt. It was 
at that time he directed the late "Dunlop"Krishna Iyer to go to Thiruvalangadu during Navarathri along with me and another friend to recite the entire Thevaram during that period. It was indeed an unique experience to have bath in "Mukthi Theertham"and dharsan of Sri Rathnasababathy early in the mornings. We went to Kanchi Mutt after completing the recitation on Vijayadhasami day. The Acharya narrated the story of Karaikkal Ammaiyar who attained Mukthi in that place. Later He went to Sri Kamakshi Temple by walk. He entered into Kumara Kottam on the way and had dharshan of Sri Subramanya and asked someone to open the rear gate through which it was easy to reach Sri Kamakshi Devi's temple.But the unused prakaram was full of thorns.We had to remove the thorns from our feet and proceed very slowly.Amazingly we did not find any thorn sticking to his feet.He went well ahead of us and reached Kamakshi Temple. We saw Him giving dharshan to the disciples at the entrance itself. I recalled the incident when a saw the gate at Kumara Kottam during my visit to Kanchi yesterday.But there was no sign of thorns in the outer prakara.The temple has received a facelift during the recent renovation work.
at that time he directed the late "Dunlop"Krishna Iyer to go to Thiruvalangadu during Navarathri along with me and another friend to recite the entire Thevaram during that period. It was indeed an unique experience to have bath in "Mukthi Theertham"and dharsan of Sri Rathnasababathy early in the mornings. We went to Kanchi Mutt after completing the recitation on Vijayadhasami day. The Acharya narrated the story of Karaikkal Ammaiyar who attained Mukthi in that place. Later He went to Sri Kamakshi Temple by walk. He entered into Kumara Kottam on the way and had dharshan of Sri Subramanya and asked someone to open the rear gate through which it was easy to reach Sri Kamakshi Devi's temple.But the unused prakaram was full of thorns.We had to remove the thorns from our feet and proceed very slowly.Amazingly we did not find any thorn sticking to his feet.He went well ahead of us and reached Kamakshi Temple. We saw Him giving dharshan to the disciples at the entrance itself. I recalled the incident when a saw the gate at Kumara Kottam during my visit to Kanchi yesterday.But there was no sign of thorns in the outer prakara.The temple has received a facelift during the recent renovation work.
As Kamakshi Temple was closed due to the passing away of a resident near its premises,we had dharshan at Adhi Kamakshi Temple. Sri Kausikeshwara Temple near this place belongs to the Pallava period and "maintained" by Archeological Dept. The temple was locked and the barbed fence prevented us from seeing the outer prakara.
Very exciting. Any photos of the murthis?
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