Kapaleeshwara Temple Mylapore, Chennai exists with the old and the new. This 7th century temple has Lord Shiva in a linga form along with his consort Parvati who is known as Karpagambal – a goddess – a wish yielding tree! The generous goddess! Today this temple is called ‘Arulmigu Kapaleeshwara Thirukovil’.
Mythologically Lord Shiva on Mount Kailash was angered by Lord Bhrama’s unattentive behavior . . . he rips one of Lord Bhrama’s heads and smashes at this place… ego had come in its way and upon self realization. . . Lord Bhrama builds this temple of Lord Shiva in it’s linga form to appease him. Goddess Parvati too was banished from Mt. Kailash enamoured by the beauty of these peacocks at Mylapore. She stayed being a peahen at Mylapore. She won back her place with Lord Shiva with a penance of repentance at Mylapore. Even to this day one can find peahens at the temple premises enclosure kept in reverence.
Lord Ganesha displays his dancing form and his parents Lord Shiva & Parvati exhibit his dancing form for the first time to Lord Vishnu. Lord Murugan here is presented with his Trident and hence known as Vel Murgan. Lord Rama is believed to have prayed here at this temple on his way to bring back his wife Sita from the clutches of the evil king Ravana of Srilanka.
This town Mylapore was a town of peacocks, hence the Tamil word ‘Myail’ meaning peacock is associated with this 2000 year old place. Tiruvallur the great Tamil poet was living here. A lot of saints, poets, writers lived in this prosperous town Mylapore! Ptolemy, the Greek geographer in 90 – 168 AD refers to Mylapore as a well-known flourishing trade town. Even to this day literature, poetry & music meets flourish seasonally in celebrations.
Portuguese took over Mylapore in 1566. They destroyed and raised to the ground the then Kapaleeshwara temple built on the seashore by the Pallavas in the 7th century. Today on it’s site stands the Santhome Church. The present site 1 to 1.5 kms from the sea is where the current temple is and was built by the Vijayanagar Kings of Tuluva Dynasty in 1491-1570. Old ruins… remains… of the temple can even to this day found at the present temple and at Santhome Church premises. Today this temple has a large temple pond to its west – A Pushkarani surrounded by all it’s four side with broad roads. Mylapore is a big residential town in the city of Chennai.
Kapaleeshwara temple today is a huge complex of a lot of shrines & temples. The main two temples are – Kapaleeshwara and Karpagambal. Shiva & Parvati. The east gopuram of the temple is huge 40 mts. high, the one on the west faces the vast temple pond. All the 4 Vedas are receited at this temple and is open to devotees from 6 am to 10 pm with a brief recess in the afternoon. Today this temple is administered by Hindu Religious & Endowment Board, Govt. of Tamilnadu. Only Hindus are allowed into the temple. I have seen where foreign tourists were asked to leave the temple premises… there are sign boards displayed to this effect. New Moon and Full Moon days are considered auspicious and the temple is crowded to special poojas – so are fridays, they too are considered auspicious. 4 big temple days mark the yearly celebrations… including one teppovatsavam at the temple pond – these days draw big crowds.
It makes divine sense to spend an hour at this temple premises for your prayers and divine intervention when you are at Chennai. An enriching divine experience to your soul.
Kapaleeshwara – a Shiva temple in the town of peacocks!
