Overview of Kapleeshwar temple
The Kapaleeshwar temple located in Mylapore in Chennai is a fine example of eight-century Pallavan architecture and is the oldest temple in the city.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Kapaleeshwar Temple is characteristic of the Dravidian architectural style with its elaborate and intricately carved Gopuram, mandapams and a tank. You can find fragments of inscriptions dating back to 1250 AD.
According to the Puranas, Shakthi worshipped Shiva, in the form of the Peacock, which is why the name Mylai was given to the area that developed around the temple, as "Mayil" means Peacock in Tamil.
The presiding god of this temple is a form of Shiva called "Kapaleashwarar". The form of Shiva's wife Parvati at this temple is called "Karpagambal" in the Tamil for "goddess of the wish-yielding tree".
Etymolgy
East Raja Gopuram -
temple entrence view
The temple's name is derived from Kapalam (head) and eeshwarar an alias of Lord Shiva. Puranas have it that Lord Shiva was once telling Lord Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, about the creation of the three lokas but Lord Brahma did not agree with what Shiva said. Shiva got angry and plucked of one of Brahma's four kapalams (heads) and threw it down. In an act of regretful penance, Brahma installed a Shiva Lingam in this spot to do penance. This Lingam is known as Kapaleeshwarar. In the courtyard of the Kapaleeshwar Temple, you can find a small shrine of Goddess Parvathi in the form of a peacock worshipping her consort Lord Shiva.
History
The age of the temple is the source of much debate. The commonly held view is that the temple was built in the 7th century CE by the ruling Pallavas, based on references to the temple in the hymns of the Nayanmars (which however place it at the shore).It ia an example of the beautiful architecture of Pallavas. Further, the architecture of the temple appears to be 300–400 years old. The scholarly view that accounts for the discrepancies is that the original temple was built on the shore at the location of the current Santhome Church but was destroyed by the Portuguese, and the current temple which is 1-1.5 km from the shore was built more recently. A small minority of people believe that the original temple was indeed on the beach, but that the sea has receded over centuries. There is a small peacock and peahen cage inside the temple, in order to remember that Goddess had come in the form of peahen to plead to the Lord.
Architecture
Inside the temple
Architecturally, the temple is of typical Dravidian style with the gopuram overpowering the street on which the temple sits. There are two entrances to the temple marked by the gopuram on either side. The main entrance of the temple faces east with puranic legends inscribed on it is about 40m high, while the smaller western gopuram faces the sacred tank.
The temple tank is spruced up and filled with water.
You will find the images of 63 Saivaite saints (Nayanmars) in the outer courtyard.
How to reach?
You can go to Mylapore by bus or taxi or Auto. You can also go by local train from Park town (Metro Train line) or Velachery.
Kapleeshwarar temple is very near to Bus stop and local train station of Mylapore.
Chennai is well connected to all major cities in India.
