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Kapaleeswarar Description :-

Kapaleeswarar, an ancient Shiva temple, is the biggest temple in Chennai. A masterpiece of Dravidian style and displays the architectural elements - gopurams, mandapams and a tank. There are some fragmentary inscriptions dating back to 1250 AD.

This most important Shiva temple in the city is also the most splendid example of Dravidian temple architecture in Chennai.
In the heart of bustling Mylapore, the 120 feet tall Gopuram (spire or tower), the 18th century tank and the bronze statues of the 63 Shaivite saints make this shrine a must-see pilgrimage spot for visiting devotees.

The 63 figures are carried in a procession on the eighth day of the 10-day Aruvathumoovar festival in March-April.

The temple has goddess Parvathi depicted as a Peacock worshipping the Shiva lingam.
In the outer courtyard is the sacred Punnai tree - one of the city's oldest.
A sculptural representation in front of the temple flagmast, shows Saint Gnanasambandar singing to raise up a dead girl. The temple is believed to be the site where this miracle took place.

Legends Associated With The Temple :-
There are many legends associated with this temple. Once Goddess Parvati was distracted during her daily ritual by a beautiful peacock dancing at a distance. Lord Shiva in order to make her realise the importance of total devotion turned her into a peahen and sent her to the earth. The peahen arrived at this temple and started a penance in order to prove her devotion. After a long and severe penance the Lord took her back into his fold. As Goddess Parvati was living in this place as a pea-hen, the place came to be known as 'Mayil-puri' (Mayil means pea-hen in Tamil) which was later anglicised to Mylapore.

There was a great devotee of Lord Shiva by the name of Shivanesa Chettiar in Mylapore. One day his beloved daughter was bitten by a cobra and died. Shivanesa Chettiar was heart broken. After the cremation of the body he collected the ashes and kept them in an urn in his house. When Thirugnana Sambanthar visited this temple in the course of his pilgrimage he heard about the sadness that befell the devotee of Lord Shiva. He asked the father to bring the urn of ashes to him. When he sprinkled some water from the temple tank onto the urn everybody was amazed to see the daughter walking into the room alive.