Tamil Nadu · South

Kapaleeshwarar Temple

Mylapore Kapaleeshwarar Temple

DravidaPresent structure 16th century (Vijayanagara period), rebuilt after original coastal temple's destructionShiva (as Kapaleeshwarar) and Parvati (as Karpagambal)

Kapaleeshwarar Temple anchors Chennai's Mylapore quarter, its present Vijayanagara-period structure a rebuilding of an earlier temple believed to have stood nearer the coast until Portuguese destruction in the sixteenth century relocated it inland. The temple's mythology, in which Parvati worships Shiva in the form of a peacock (mayil), gives Mylapore its name and is depicted in temple reliefs. Its painted gopuram, dense with Vijayanagara-era stucco figuration, and its temple tank used for the annual float festival, make it a compact but complete example of Tamil temple-town design within a dense modern city. As one of the oldest working temples in Chennai proper, it offers visitors a Dravida temple experience without travelling beyond the city, useful as an introductory stop before the Chola and Pallava heartland further south.

Art & Architecture

37-metre painted gopuram with dense Vijayanagara-style stucco figures over the eastern entrance
Temple tank (Kapaleeshwarar Kulam) used for annual float festival rituals
Panel narrating the peacock (mayil) legend from which Mylapore, 'city of the peacock,' takes its name
Vijayanagara-era rebuild after the original shoreline temple was destroyed by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century

Best Season

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Festivals

Arupathu Moovar Festival · Panguni Uthiram · Float Festival

Journeys Featuring This Temple

In-State

Practical guide — getting there, when to go, where to stay →

Planning your visit

Nearby

Guesthouses and dharamshalas near the temple often take walk-ins. Confirm a single-occupancy rate when you call.

The Leela Palace Chennai - Seaside Modern Palace Hotel1.9 km
Rated 4.6 on Google Maps from 16,236 reviews, a short auto ride from Kapaleeshwarar Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
The Raintree, St Mary's Road1.9 km
Rated 4.4 on Google Maps from 6,146 reviews, a short auto ride from Kapaleeshwarar Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels - Cathedral Road1.9 km
Rated 4.6 on Google Maps from 8,152 reviews, a short auto ride from Kapaleeshwarar Temple. Listed on rating and proximity — we have not stayed here.
Checked by us
Krishna Residency Rooms165 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)
Hotel Karpagam International185 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)
Shri Maruthi193 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)

Listings drawn from third-party maps are not verified by us and may be out of date. Please confirm directly before you travel.

Sources

Open in Google Maps

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