Les légendes çivaïtes de Kañcipuram

by R. Dessigane and P.Z. Pattabiramin and Jean Filliozat

Kancipuram, in Tamil Nadu, is one of the principal permanent seats of Hinduism where Vaisnavism and saivism have coexisted since a very long time. The Kancipuranam, a text in Tamil dating back to the second half of the 18th century, narrates the various legends connected to the site. It is attributed to the poet Civananacuvami and was inspired from a Sanskrit Kancimahatmya said to belong to the Skandapurana. Though pan- Indian in its religious traditions, it is deeply rooted in and adapted to Kanci and has ensured the transmission and popularity of the saiva tradition of Kanci to the present day. It is summarized here in French and illustrated with photographs taken in the temples of Kancipuram and other sites of Tamil Nadu.