A Serene Morning at Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai

 

During our recent trip to Chennai, my wife and I were delighted to visit the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore. It has been many years since our last darshan, and this time, staying at a hotel in Mylapore made it irresistible not to revisit this magnificent shrine. We spent unhurried time in the temple premises and had a deeply satisfying darshan of Lord Kapaleeshwarar (Lord Shiva) and Goddess Karpagambal (Goddess Parvati).

Although I have visited this temple in the past, it was before I began blogging, so I am pleased to finally share my reflections on this historic temple.

According to the Puranas, Goddess Parvati once incurred a curse from Lord Shiva for not paying attention to his words. As a result, she was cursed as a peahen and performed penance at this very spot to regain her divine form. Since she worshipped Shiva here in the form of a peahen (Mayil in Tamil), the surrounding area came to be known as Mayilai, which evolved into Mylapore.

Here, Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kapaleeshwarar, represented by the Lingam, and Parvati Devi as Karpagambal, the “Goddess of the wish-yielding tree.” The temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams, revered in the 7th-century Tamil Shaiva canon, the Tevaram, composed by the saint-poets known as the Nayanmars.

The name Kapaleeshwarar comes from Kapala (meaning “head”) and Ishvara (meaning “Lord Shiva”). According to legend, during a meeting on Mount Kailash, Brahma failed to pay Shiva the respect he deserved. In anger, Shiva plucked off one of Brahma’s five heads. To atone for this, Brahma came down to Mylapore and installed a Lingam to worship Shiva, seeking forgiveness.

This sacred place is also known by many names: Sukra Puri, Veda Puri, and even “Kailaye Mayilai” (“Mylapore is Kailash”). It is believed that Lord Murugan received his Vel (spear) here from Parvati Devi to destroy a demon. Brahma, Shukra, and even the four Vedas are said to have worshipped Shiva here.

The Kapaleeshwarar Temple is believed to have been originally built in the 7th century by the Pallavas, as evidenced by references in Nayanmar hymns. Some ancient texts by Sambandar and Arunagirinathar describe the temple as being by the seashore, suggesting that the original temple may have stood closer to the coast before being rebuilt at its current site.

Inscriptions within the temple date back to the 12th century, and the majestic 120-ft gopuram (gateway tower), adorned with intricate stucco sculptures, was constructed in 1906. The temple complex houses multiple shrines, with those of Kapaleeshwarar and Karpagambal being the most prominent. The spacious temple tank and beautifully sculpted mandapams (halls) add to its grandeur.

Today, the temple is well maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Our visit left us spiritually uplifted and filled with gratitude, a beautiful reminder of Chennai’s timeless cultural and devotional heritage.