Kapaleeshwarar Temple

The Kapaliswarar Temple ( Tamil: கபாலீஸ்வரர் கோயில் Kapālīsvarar Koyil [ ˌ kapɑ ː li ː sʋʌrər ko ː jil ]; Also: Kapalishwara, Kapaleeswarar etc. ) is a Hindu temple in Mylapore, a suburb of Chennai (Madras ), the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He is the God Shiva in his form as a dedicated Kapaliswarar ( Kapalishwara ). In addition to the Vishnu Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane the Kapaliswarar Temple is the main temple of Chennai.

History

The origins Mylapores and Kapaliswarar temple go much further back than the history of the city of Chennai, which was founded in the 17th century as a British colony. Mylapore has already served from 6 to 9 century, who resided in Kanchipuram Pallava kings as a port. At this time, the Kapaliswarar temple seems to have been built. For the first time it is mentioned in the 7th century in the devotional hymns of the poet Tevaram Sambandar. No part of the existing building is today but older 300-400 years. In part, the assumption is expressed, the Kapaliswarar Temple had earlier found closer to the sea at the site of St. Thomas Basilica and was destroyed by the Portuguese, made ​​the Mylapore in the 16th century to their colony.

Specifications

The Kapaliswarar Temple is built in the South Indian Dravidian style. It includes an approximately 85 × 90 -foot rectangular area. In its center is the west-facing main shrine Kapaliswarars. Also located in the temple inside a shrine to Shiva's consort Parvati side, which appears as Karpagambal here, and as sacred deemed Punnai tree ( Calophyllum inophyllum ). To the east and west of the enclosure wall of the temple complex each is a gopuram ( gate-tower ). The Gopuram in the West is only of modest height, but serves as the main entrance. The Gopuram in the east was built in 1909 and is 37 meters high. Both gopurams are decorated with rich with colorful stucco figures. To the west of the temple is a very large (about 180 × 130 meters) temple pond. It was created in the 18th century on land that had put the Nawab of Arcot available. In the East, a shopping street leading to the temple.

Festivals

Every year on Kapaliswarar Temple several major temple festivals take place: During the ten-day main festival in March / April, the images of the gods in a grand procession to be taken into a temple chariots around the temple. In the same month Arupathimoovar - festival is celebrated in honor of the 63 Nayanmars ( shivaitische poet saints). When Teppam hard in January / February, the gods are out on a raft to the temple pond.