Kapaleeshwarar Temple

Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Kapaleeshwarar Temple Location in Tamil Nadu
Coordinates:	13°02′N 80°16′E
Name
Proper name:	Mayilāppūr Kapālīsvarar Kōvil
Location
Country:	India
State:	Tamil Nadu
District:	Chennai
Location:	Mylapore, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
Architecture and culture
Architectural styles:	Dravidian architecture

View of the temple tank at dawn

Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a temple of Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The form of Shiva's wife Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal (from Tamil, "Goddess of the Wish-Yielding Tree"). The temple was built around the 7th century CE and is a good example of Dravidian architecture.

According to the Puranas, Shakti worshipped Shiva in the form of a peacock, which is why the vernacular name Mylai (Mayilāi) was given to the area that developed around the temple - mayil is Tamil for "peacock".

Legend

Lord shiva:The temple's name is derived from the words kapalam (head) and eeshwarar an alias of Shiva. According to the Puranas, during the meeting of Brahma and Shiva at top of Mount Kailash Brahma failed to show the due respect to Shiva. Due to this, Shiva plucked of one of Brahma's heads (kapalams). In an act of penance, Brahma came down to the site of Mylapore and installed a Lingam to please Shiva.This place is known as Sukra puri, Veda puri and has so many other names including “Kailaye Mayilai and Mayilaye Kayilai “which means this place is equal to kailash. Goddess Karpagambal due to a curse became a peacock and did penance here to get back her original personality. Lord Muruga received the spear (Sakthi vel) for Sura Samharam from goddess Parvathi here. Brahma had worshipped here to get rid his ego back his power to create. The four Vedas have Worshipped here. Sukracharya worshiped the Lord here and got back his lost eye. Lord Sri Rama has worshiped here and won the war against Ravana and brought back Sita Devi from SriLanka. The daughter of Sivanesa Chettiar Angam Poompavai got her lost life here by the powers of Tirugnana Sambandar. Vaayilar Nayanar, a saiva saint, attained salvation here and mylapore is also the birth place of Thiruvalluvar who wrote Thirukkural. In Thevaram special mention is made about the beautiful Madaveedhi as “Malgun Mathri Thavazhum Maada Veedhi Mylappil Ullar”. Thiruganana Sambandar, Auunagirinathar have sung the Glory of Karpagambal, Singara Velar. The 10 day festival during March / April is a treat to watch and arubathu Moovar festival is attended by lakhs of devotees every year.

History

The commonly held view is that the temple was built in the 7th century CE by the ruling Pallavas. This view is based on references to the temple in the hymns of the Nayanmars (which, however, place it by a sea shore).Thirugnanasambandar's 6th song in Poompavaipathikam and Arunagirinathar's 697th song in Thirumylai Thirupugazh, make clear reference to the Kapaleeswarar temple being located on the seashore in Mylapore.^{[citation needed]} The architecture of the temple, however, appears to be 300–400 years old.^{[citation needed]} The scholarly view that accounts for the discrepancies is that the original temple was built on the shore at the location of the current Santhome Church but was destroyed by the Portuguese,^{[citation needed]} and the current temple (which is 1-1.5 km from the shore) was built by the Vijayanagar kings during the 16th century. There are inscriptions dating back to 12th century inside the temple. The temple's 120 ft gopuram (gateway tower) was built during 1906 with stucco figures adorning it.

The Temple

Architecture

The Kapaleeshwarar temple is of typical Dravidian architectural style, with the gopuram overpowering the street on which the temple sits. This temple is also a testimonial for the vishwakarmas sthapathis. There are two entrances to the temple marked by the gopuram on either side. The east gopuram is about 40 m high, while the smaller western gopuram faces the sacred tank.^{[citation needed]}

Shrines

Goddess Karpagambal with Lord Kapaleeshwarar

Vahanas

The vahanas (Sanskrit for "vehicles") at the temple include the bull, Adhikaranandi, elephant, bandicoot, peacock, goat and parrot, while a golden chariot is a recent addition. Statues of the god and the goddess are seated on a vahana, which is brought in a procession around the temple while the temple band plays music. Devotees gather around the vahanas and consider it a privilege to pull / lift the God and the Goddess on the vahana.

Traditions

During Friday worship, the statue of the goddess Karpagambal is decorated with a kaasu maala, i.e., a garland made of gold coins. The famous Tamil hymns Karunai Deivame Karpagame and Karpagavalli Nin Porpadhangal Pidithen were written by poets in praise of the goddess Karpagambal. There is also a peacock and a peahen caged inside the temple, to symbolize the tradition that Karpagambal had come in the form of peahen to plead to Kapaleeshwarar.

Festivals

There are four daily pujas: the early morning puja, the day puja, the pradosha kaala puja, and the night puja.

During the Tamil month of Panguni, the traditional brahmotsavam (annual festival) takes place when the entire neighborhood comes alive with a mela (carnival)-like atmosphere. Since this month corresponds to the mid-March to mid-April duration, the Kapaleeshwarar temple celebrates the nine day-long as Panguni Peruvizha (Spring festival). This festival starts with Dwajarohanam (hoisting flag in the temple), includes the therotsavam, (Tamil, ther, "car/chariot"; utsavam, "festival"), Arupathimoovar festival and concludes with the Tirukkalyanam (Marriage of Kapaleeswarar & Karpagambal).

In Brahmotsavam, the idols of Kapaleeshwarar and Karpagambal are decorated with clothes and jewels, are mounted on a vahana, and then taken around the temple and its water tank in a pradakshinam (a clockwise path when seen from above). This is repeated with different vahanas over the next nine days.

The more important of the individual pradakshinams are the Athigara Nandhi on the third day, the Rishaba Vahanam on the midnight of the fifth day, the ther (about 13 meters in height and pulled by people) on the seventh morning, and the Arupathimoovar festival on the eighth day.

The Arupathimoovar festival is the most important procession. It is named after the sixty-three Nayanmars who have attained salvation by their love & devotion to the all-compassionate Lord Shiva. All sixty-three Nayanmar idols follow the Kapaleeshwarar idol on this procession. During the car festival, Kapaleeshwarar is depicted holding a bow while seated on a throne, with his wife Karpagambal alongside. Brahma is depicted riding the ther. The chariot is decorated with flowers and statues, and there are huge gatherings of devotees to pull the ther. The car festival of 1968 is documented in the documentary film Phantom India by Louis Malle.

Arupathimoovar festival

This festival is celebrated in order to honor the Saivaite devotees, namely the sixty-three Nayanmars. The procession is celebrated by taking the Nayanmars in a palanquin that is decorated with ornaments and flowers. The Moovar Appar, Sundarar, Thirugyana Sambandar are carried in a separate palanquin. Idols of Kapaleeshwarar and Karpagambal are decorated with colorful and fragrant flowers and carried along the Temple streets.Devotees offer offerings to the Lord in way of fruits,coconut,betel leaves,areca nut,sweets etc.,.Inturn they are are blessed back with the offerings,garlands after offering to the Deity.Prasaad of Vibhuti and kumkum are given to the devotees.

The festival results in a huge gathering of devotees in Mylapore. Lot of sweets, savories, juices and buttermilk are served to the pilgrims. At each stage of the festival an Aarti is performed.

Religious work and saints

There is no reference to the temple in Sangam literature of the 1st to 5th centuries and the earliest mention is found in 6th century Tamil literature. The temple and the deity were immortalized in Tamil poetry in the works of Tevaram by poet saint belonging to the 7th century - Thirugnana Sambanthar has composed te 6th Poompavai pathigam in praise of the temple.^{[citation needed]} Arunagirinathar, the 15th century poet, sings praise of the temple in Tirumayilai Tirupugazh.^{[citation needed]} The 12th century poet, Gunaveera Pandithar sings about Neminathan under Theerthangar neminathar pugazh. Tirumayilai Prabanthangal is a compilation of four works on the temple and the deity.

Gallery

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  Kapaleeswarar Temple and Theppakulam

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  East Rajagopuram of Kapaleeshwarar Temple

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  East Rajagopuram of Kapaleeshwarar Temple

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  East Gopuram detail

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  East Gopuram detail

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  East Gopuram at dawn on the day of the temple car festival

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  East Gopuram at dawn

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  The Utsavar deity of Lord Vinayaka being brought out of the temple by youngsters amidst chanting of hymns and music instruments in the early morning

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  The Utsavar deity of Lord Shiva being brought out of the temple amidst chanting of hymns and music instruments in the early morning

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  Lord Vinayaka - Utsavar

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  Lord Kapaleeshwarar - Utsavar

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  Lord Murugan with his consorts Valli and Deivayanai

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  Utsavam

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  Utsavam

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  Utsavam

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  The utsava statues being taken to the respective thers(temple cars)

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  The utsava statues being taken to the respective thers (temple cars)

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  The utsava statues being taken to the respective thers (temple cars)

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  The great temple car moves out of its shed with the Lord Kapaleeshwarar

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  The early morning sunlight creates a glow on the temple car

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  Huge throngs of devotees line the streets where the temple car passes on its route around the temple

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  The temple Car is pulled by devotees using huge ropes

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  Details of the Kapaleeshwarar temple car

References

• Bhargava, Gopal K. (2006), Land and people of Indian states and union territories. 25. Tamil Nadu, USA: Kalpaz Publications, ISBN [[Special:BookSources/81178353814|81178353814 [[Category:Articles with invalid ISBNs]]]]  .
• Hurd, James (2010), Temples of Tamilnad, USA: Xilbris Corporation, ISBN 978-1-4134-3843-7 .
• Narasiah, KRA (2008), Madras : Tracing the Growth of the City Since 1639, Chennai: New Horizon Media Private Limited, ISBN 978-81-8368-789-8 .
• Silas, Sandeep (2007), Discover India by Rail, New Delhi: Sterling Publishers, ISBN 81-207-2939-0 .
• V., Subburaj (2006), Tourist Guide to Chennai, Chennai: Sura Books, ISBN 81-7478-040-8 .
• Kamath, Rina (2000), Chennai, Chennai: Orient Longman Limited, ISBN 81-7835-014-9 .
• de Bruyn, Pippa; Bain, Keith; Allardice, David (2010). Frommer's India. Frommer's. ISBN 0-470-55610-2, ISBN 978-0-470-55610-8. 

External links

• E-pooja in Kapaleeswarar Temple
• Virtual Lord Shiva Darshan and pilgrimage with videos and images
• Indian heritage page
• ChennaiOnline article
• Indian temples article
• Temple trust name
• The legend of Poompavai brought back to life by Sampandar
• Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple Part 1 & 2