Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai

Kapaleeswarar Temple Tower (Gopuram)

Kapaleeswarar Temple West Facing Shrine

Kapaleeswarar Temple - Spacious Corridor with Shrines for Minor Deities

Kapaleeswarar Temple, Mylapore

Prime Deity: Lord Kapaleeswarar (Lord Shiva)

Consort:  Sri Karpagambal.

Holy Tree: Punnai Tree

Agama Puja: Kameekam

The ancient Kapaleeshwarar temple, Mylapore is undoubtedly  a beautiful sample of classic Dravidian temple sculpture and architecture. The original temple was located near the sea but got submerged in the sea and the current temple was built around 350 years back by the rulers of Vijayanagara. Dedicated to lord Kapaleeswarar (lord Shiva) and his consort Devi Karpagambal, the temple has a wide temple tank, 37 m tall temple tower, spacious circumambulation path (prakaram), separate shrines for minor deities and also shrines in the niches of the vimanam walls. As per the legend Devi Karpagambal worshipped lord Kapaleeswarar in the form of a peacock (mayil = peacock) hence the town got the name Mylapore. Sage Kashyapar worhipped the lord. It is one of the seven Shiva (Sapthasthana) temples and one among the 40 temples that have west facing Shiva sanctums. Temple glorified by the saints Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar in Thevaram. During the annual festival (Arupathu Moovar Thiruvizha Brammotsavam) the bronze icons on 63 Nayanmars (63 Saiva saints) are taken in procession.

I had a pleasant photowalk in and around the temple on 12th January 2014 with group members during Mylapore festival 2014. Some pictures from the walk are shown above.

Ravana in Yakshagana: Music Dance Drama staged at Mylapore Festival 2014

 

KARTHAVEERYARJUNA KALAGA - Yakshagana - music dance drama was staged at Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple, Chennai on 12th January 2014 at 08.30 pm. by Sri Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali, Keremane Shivananda Hegde troupe as part of Mylapore Festival 2014.

 

The Yakshagana troupe Sri Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali Keremane (etd. in 1934) has completed 75 years and steadily striding towards its goal of experimenting and innovating the folk art form without affecting its traditional heritage. Since its inception the troupe has performed more than 8000 shows.

Vibheeshana in Yakshagana: Music Dance Drama staged at Mylapore Festival 2014

 

Karthaveeryarjuna Kalaga - Yakshagana - music dance drama was staged at Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple, Chennai on 12th January 2014 at 08.30 pm. by Sri Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali, Keremane Shivananda Hegde troupe as part of Mylapore Festival 2014.

Yakshagana (Yaksha Songs) is the musical dance drama (a traditional folk art form) of Karnataka theatre predominant in coastal and Malenadu regions of Karnataka, India.

It combines dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques with a unique style and form and portrays class of demigods in Hindu mythology. It usually depicts a story from the Hindu epics and puranas.

The actors wear resplendent costumes, head-dresses, and painted faces which they paint themselves. A Yakshagana artists also wearing pagaDe, one type of head-wear.

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Artist Makeup for Yakshaganam Dance Drama Mylai Festival 2014