Kanchipuram
Kamakshi Amman is one of the three great Shakti Peethas of South India and Kanchipuram's most beloved goddess — a form of Parvati seated in a yogic position rather than standing, which is unusually rare. The temple's main procession chariot is one of the largest in Tamil Nadu, and during the Brahmotsavam festival it is pulled through the streets by thousands of devotees.
The temple's outer corridors have exceptional 16th-century mural paintings — look up at the ceiling carefully as you walk through. Darshan queues are longest on Fridays, Tuesdays, and festival days.