Late medieval · Hindu · India

Kapaleeshwarar Temple

Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu · 13.0337°, 80.2699°

Shiva (Kapaleeshwarar) & KarpagambalVijayanagaraDravidaPaadal Petra Sthalam
Sacred since
600 CE
Sung in 7th-c. Tevaram; original site likely at Santhome shore
Standing structure
16th c. (original 7th-c. shore shrine lost)
Vijayanagara

History & significance

Chennai's landmark temple in the old town of Mylapore, rebuilt inland in the Vijayanagara period after the Portuguese occupation of the shore where the Tevaram-era original stood. Its 37 m gopuram, tank, and Panguni festival (with the Arupathimoovar procession of the 63 Nayanmar saints) anchor the city's classical culture.

Sthala katha — the legend

Parvati, distracted by a peacock's dance while Shiva taught, was born as a peahen (mayil) and worshipped the linga here — giving Mylapore ('peacock town') its name; she is Karpagambal, the wish-granting goddess.

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Related sites

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1003–1010 CE
Airavatesvara Temple
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Meenakshi Amman Temple
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Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
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core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.
Ekambareswarar Temple
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Ramanathaswamy Temple
Rameswaram · India
12th–18th c. (great corridor 18th c., Sethupathis)

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Vijayanagara