The Kapaleeswarar temple is exactly situated at Mylapore of Chenna, Tamilnadu, India.
The Kapaleeswarar temple is an ancient Shiva, Dravidian temple famous for its excellent sculptur4e and architecture. The small inscriptions discovered about the temple dates back to 1250 AD. The modern structure is the renovated form of the ancient form built in 1250 AD. The present structure of temple standing as the epitome of cultural fragrance in Chennai was rebuilt by the Vijayanagara kings in the 16th century.
The intricately carved 37 m tall gopuram is one major attraction of the temple. Other important facets of the temple include the crowded cosmogeny of stucco gods, goddesses and saints depict important Puranic legends. The Punnai tree, in the temple courtyard stands as one of the ancient trees in Chennai. The tree shades small shrines of the Kapaleeswarar Temple that represent the legend giving Mylapore its name.
The Kapaleeswarar temple is widely known for being the site of witnessing the miracle when saint Gnanasambandar sang to resurrect a dead girl. That ancient miracle is represented in the form of sculpture shrine in front of the temple flagmast. The temple is widely visited by tourists coming to Chennai not only from India but also by those coming from foreign countries.
The temple that encompasses the idol of Goddess Parvati, in the form of a peacock, features the idol worshipping Shiva, represented by the conventional Lingam. The devotees visiting the Kapaleeswarar temple worship goddess Parvati as Karpagambal. Among other special features that deserve to be mentioned include the bronze statues of 63 Shaivite saints, worshiped as a form of devotion and penance.
63 Shaivite saints in the Kapaleeswarar temple also referred as nayanmars adorn the outer court of the temple. These idols are displayed in a fragmental and colorful march on the 10th day Arupathumoovar temple festival held between the months of March-April every year.
The temple is visited by thousands of devotees especially during the time of
'Arupattu Moovar'. The Teppam or float festival in the large temple tank, and the biweekly Pradosham festival are another festive occasions drawing large crowds in the Kapaleeswarar temple.
The Kapaleeswarar temple stands as the monumental evidence of where the ancient coexists with the contemporary. In fact this can be the best phrase to describe the temple exactly coinciding with the life of Chennai and its people.
To know more about the Kapaleeswarar Temple, in Chennai you can log on to chennai-madras-hotels.com
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