Kamakshi Amman Temple, Hindu temple in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, India

Kamakshi Amman Temple is a Hindu temple in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, and ranks among the most important religious sites in this region. The complex spreads across several courtyards with stone pillared halls, wall niches, and reliefs showing scenes from Hindu tradition.

The temple may have been founded by the Pallava kings in the 5th-8th century CE, whose capital was Kanchipuram. The 6th-9th century Vaishnavite Alvars praise it in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, compiled in the 9th century. It was modified in the 14th and 17th centuries; Babu attributes its construction to the Cholas in the 14th century. Adi Shankaracharya is credited only with installing the Sri Yantra before the idol, not with founding the temple.

The name Kamakshi combines Kama, the god of desire, with Akshi meaning eyes, as the goddess fulfills wishes through her gaze. Pilgrims often bring fresh jasmine garlands and coconuts to offer during morning rituals at the main shrine.

The shrine opens daily in the early morning hours and closes at midday for several hours before reopening in the evening. Visitors should remove footwear at the entrance and make sure shoulders and knees are covered.

The processional idol of Utsava Kamakshi is flanked by Saraswati and Lakshmi, but no shrine to Shiva stands in the temple: Kamakshi is held to be more powerful than her consort. The main idol sits in the Padmasana lotus pose, holding a noose, goad, sugarcane bow and flower arrows.