Shri Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore

History

**Pre-Portuguese Era (~7th c. CE):** The original Kapaleeswarar Temple is believed to have stood at the seashore (~1 km east of the current site). Tirugnana Sambandar (~7th c. CE), one of the four major Nayanmar saints, composed a famous Tevaram hymn — "Mylai Tiruppadigam" — about the temple. **Portuguese Destruction (~16th c.):** The Portuguese, seeking to establish a fort and church on the Madras coast, destroyed the original Kapaleeswarar Temple. They built the San Thome Cathedral (~1523 CE) on or near the original site, purportedly over the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle (Christian tradition holds Thomas was martyred at Mylapore in 72 CE). **Vijayanagara Reconstruction (16th c.):** The deities were rescued and a new temple was built ~1 km inland at the present location. The Vijayanagara empire (and its successor Nayak rulers) sponsored the new construction. Most of the current structural elements — the gopurams, prakaras, mandapas — date from this period. **Post-Independence:** Administered by the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department since the consolidation of Tamil Nadu temple administration. Major renovations in the 1990s and 2010s. Mylapore Metro Station (Phase II) opened in October 2024, dramatically improving public transport access.

Mythology

**The Peacock Legend (Mylapore Origin):** According to the Mylai Sthala Purana, **Goddess Parvati** once played a prank on Lord Shiva — she covered his eyes with her hands while he was meditating, plunging the cosmos into darkness. Shiva, displeased, cursed her to be reborn as a **peacock** (mayil) on Earth. Parvati came to this site, took the form of a peacock, and performed tapasya to a Shiva linga. Shiva, pleased, returned her to her original form and granted her a place at his side. The site became known as **Mayilapuram** (city of peacocks) → later abbreviated to **Mylapore**. The goddess is named **Karpagambal** (goddess of the Karpagam wish-fulfilling tree) or, in older tradition, **Mayil-arpana-iswari** (goddess who surrendered as a peacock). **Kapaleeswarar Etymology:** "Kapala" = skull bowl (in Sanskrit). "Kapaleeswarar" = "Lord with the skull bowl." This refers to the legend that Shiva, after severing one of Brahma's five heads (a punishment for Brahma's arrogance, see also Arunachaleswarar mythology), carried the skull bowl as Bhairava-form alms-bowl. In Mylapore tradition, Shiva deposited the skull bowl here, hence the name. **Sambandar's Resurrection Miracle:** Tirugnana Sambandar (7th c. Nayanmar) is associated with a famous miracle at this temple. A Saivite girl named Poompavai had died and been cremated. Sambandar prayed at Kapaleeswarar; Poompavai was miraculously resurrected. The Tevaram hymn "Mattitta Punnayang" commemorates this miracle.