The Heart of Mylapore

The Kapaleeshwarar Temple is the spiritual centre of Mylapore, Chennai's oldest and most culturally significant neighbourhood. Dedicated to Shiva (as Kapaleeshwarar, 'lord of skulls') and his consort Karpagambal, the temple is believed to have originally stood on the shore — the original site was destroyed or submerged (possibly during Portuguese colonial activity in the 16th century), and the current temple was rebuilt at the present inland location.

The temple's origins are ancient — the 7th-century Shaivite saints Tirugnanasambandar and Appar composed hymns about it — but the current structure is primarily Vijayanagara-era (16th century). The 37-metre gopuram, richly decorated with stucco figures, dominates the Mylapore skyline.

Mylapore: The Neighbourhood

Mylapore derives its name from Mayilapore ('town of peacocks'). It was a thriving port and cultural centre long before the British founded Madras. The streets around the temple are some of the oldest continuously inhabited in India, and the neighbourhood retains a distinct character: Brahmin agraharams, flower markets, silk shops, and the filter-coffee houses that define Chennai's morning culture.

The Tank and Festivals

The temple tank (Kapali Theertham) is one of the few temple tanks in Chennai that still holds water year-round. The annual Arubathimoovar festival — a nine-day celebration in March-April featuring a procession of 63 Nayanar saints on a decorated chariot — draws hundreds of thousands of devotees and is one of Chennai's most spectacular public events.