The jaw dropping architecture of the Kapaleeshwarar Temple inspires every visitor. The temple is a symbol of Dravidian style of architecture and features a 120 feet tall gopuram. The gopuram is decorated with stucco figures.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort Karpagambal. It is located in Mylapore suburb, Chennai. It is one of the oldest and most revered holy places in the city. It is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of Tamil Nadu.

History of  Kapaleeshwarar Temple 

It is believed that the original Kapaleeshwarar Temple was built by Pallavas in the 7th century CE. This view is based on references to the temple in the hymns of the Nayanmars (which place it by a sea shore). However, a recent scholarly view points to an earlier temple constructed by the Vijayanagar kings during the 16th century.

There are many legends associated with the temple. For instance, a story relates that Brahma got annoyed by Shiva for not being as creative as him. This made Brahma seek forgiveness from Shiva here and after a period of penance, the lord granted him back his creative powers.

Apart from the presiding deity, there are 63 idols of saints and other Gods here. These include Natana Vinayakar, Singara Velar, Durgai, Dakshinamoorthy and Vaayilar Nayanar.

The temple is a sacred place for a number of festivals and ceremonies. The main festival is the Brahmotsavam, which is held in March-April. During this time, the tens of thousands of pilgrims visit the temple to pay their obeisance to the God.

Another important ceremony that takes place here is the Uchi Kaala Puja. It is celebrated in April every year. During this ritual, the deities of Kapaleeshwarar and Karpagambal are decorated with a garland of gold coins called kaasu maala.

In addition, there are numerous other Pujas that are performed here. These include ko Puja, vaikarai puja, kaala sandhi puja and ardhajama puja. The Pooja services are conducted amidst music and religious instructions in the Vedas.

A temple band plays music during these ceremonies and devotees assemble around the vahanas. They consider it a privilege to pull the statues of the God and Goddess on the vahanas and offer their prayers to them.

It is believed that the temple is around 300 years old, though its inscriptions have not been found to be very ancient. It was rebuilt by the Vijayanagar kings of the Tuluva dynasty during the 16th century.

There is a statue of a lion in front of the presiding deity, the Goddess Karpagambal. Other idols of Shiva, Nayanmaargal and other gods are also present here.

The main attraction of this temple is the 37 meter high gopuram, which overpowers the street it sits on. This structure is a work of art and is the most important landmark of the temple.

Other shrines inside the temple include a bronze carving of 63 Saivite saints or Nayanmars, and an image of Gnanasambandar. The temple also hosts a Punnai tree, which is considered to be the oldest tree in the city.