Kapaleeswarar temple, Mylapore, Chennai
Between 1939 and 1946 I lived in the vicinity of this temple, first at Saraswathipuram and then at SanThome High Road. In 1945 and 46 I had to pass this temple twice every day to go to the hotel where I dined. There were some friends who lived on the Mada veedi, or the street bordering the temple tank with whom I would sometimes visit the temple or go to a program at Rasika Ranjani Sabha, nearby.
The Kapaleeswarar temple is a landmark of Chennai (Madras). It represents the cultural and religious ethos of Mylapore. The temple with its “gopuram” dominates the surrounding landscape and its festivals breath piety and bhakthi, immortalized by Nayanars, in their thevarams. The architecture of the temple is Dravidian and is traced to seventh century CE, though mention of its existence as a place of worship dates back to first century.
Like most temples of South India there is a sthala puranam for this temple too which explains its name as Kapaleeswara temple. Kapala means skull in Sanskrit and it is believed Lord Shiva removed one of the skulls of Brahma for not showing due respect to him and that Brahma worshipped Shiva at this temple to beg Shiva’s forgiveness. Whatever it be, there is antiquity and legendary hoariness associated with this temple. One feels a sudden hush of silence and feeling of surrender on entering this temple. The abhishekam performed in the early morning is a highlight of daily worship and casts a spell, soothing and stilling to a restless mind. Even the temple bull stands still and reverentially while the aarathi is performed.
Unlike some other temples there is much less noise at a Shiva temple, except for the single peal of a bell occasionally by a devotee. There is a slow and rhythmic beating of the drum and chanting of hymns from Samaveda symbolizing the non-physical form of Siva. A visit to Chennai would be incomplete without a visit to this holy shrine. To sit on the steps of the temple tank and watch the theppothsavam as the float carrying the idols of Shiva and Parvathi sails round to the strains of melodious nadaswaram and thavil and to feel the cool breeze of the night wafted over the water in the tank is an ethereal experience which I wish I could once again enjoy in my life time.