Old town at Mylapore is the soul of Madras City and the very heart of Tamil Nadu. Mylapore has existed for thousands of years long before Madras came into being. The ancient Sanskrit name of the town was 'Mayur Puri' which got aptly modified to 'Mylapur' in Tamil. It is said that Goddess Parvati took the form of 'Mayuram' or 'Mayil' and worshipped Shiva at this sacred place. The praise of the Lord of Kapaleeshwar temple has been sung by all the sixty three Shivite Saints of Tamil Nadu. These saints were known as Nayanmars or 'Nyanis' (all knowing in Sanskrit). The divine poems written by them are called 'Thevaram' and were known originally in Sanskrit as 'Dev-Aradhanam'; 'The devotional prayers to Lord'.

Thevarams are sung every morning and every evening in all the Shivite temples. They have got their unique place in temple rites and rituals and are to be sung soon after the chanting of Mantras is over. Recently, after many years of controversy, Sangeet Nataka Academy has accepted 'Thevaram' as an art form and the first Sangeet Nataka Academy award for 'Thevaram' singing has been conferred on Thiru Lalgudi Swaminathan, the Thevaram singer of 'Sri Kapaleeshwar Temple'.

The Festival of Sixty-Three Saints

These Saints of Tamil Nadu have made unique contributions: (a) to Tamil - Literature by enriching it; and (b) to the Bakti Cult by invoking perpetually, in the minds and hearts of devotees, the remembrance of the 'Supreme Lord'. Due to this, the festival of 63 saints is the most important festival of the Kapali temple. It falls on the eighth day of Phalguni month. Highlights of the festival is a long procession, headed by the Lord himself adorned with a 'spear'. On his right is his consort 'Ambal' (Mother Goddess) and on his left his son Karthikeya (Kumaran) with Valli and Deivayanai. The Lord is followed by other deities like Vinayak and Chandikesh. Then come the 63 saints in different Palanquins, four in each, following their Lord in all devotion. The procession begins around 3 p.m. on the eighth day of Palguni festival and goes around the streets of Mylapore.

This is a unique way of paying tribute to the 'Immortalised Saints' by the devotees. With the help of their poetry devotees could come closer to the Lord, and hence they express their gratitude through this festival. In Advaita there need be no difference between 'Shiva' the Lord, the Saints and the 'devotees'. Hence the Nayanmars can also be taken as the many manifestations of Shiva and reverence shown to them.

The Temple Chariot Festival

The chariot festival of the temple falls one day before the festival of sixty-three saints on the seventh day of Phalguni festival. The chariot festival in itself is a unique event. The Lord in the form of an 'Archer' holding a Golden bow and gem studded arrow, riding on the large and ornate temple car, comes out to destroy the evil. The Chariot symbolises the journey of life. The mother-earth (Bhoomi Devi) is same as the mother-earth on which life moves. The salt which is thrown before the wheels of the Chariot is the 'Salt of Life'. Lakhs of people throng to all the four 'Matha' streets to pull the temple chariot and have the darshan of 'divine archer'.

Pulling of the temple car in itself is a great Socio-spiritual experience. It has a great equalising effect. It also symbolises that while pulling the Car, rich and poor, high and low and mighty and weak, all are equal before the Lord. The life on this earth goes on, only with their combined efforts. With the tug at ropes, one can hear a thousand calling 'Kapali', 'Kapali'. Once in a while the Lord turns mischievous. The Chariot suddenly stops, and does not move. The Lord tests its devotees by creating unforeseen obstructions in the path of the Chariot. Suddenly, stones and pot-holes appear. The rope gives way, the wheels become loose, or a part of the Chariot decoration hangs loose precariously. The Lord manifests itself in so many ways. The challenge lies in completing the journey and bringing the Chariot back to the temple within the stipulated time. This is accomplished only with the help of divine mother 'Ambal' who keeps praying till the return of Lord to his abode and the Chariot festival is concluded flawlessly with the blessings of 'Ambal'.

The Divine Marriage of Lord Kapaleeshwara

The day after the festival of sixty three saints falls the day of 'divine marriage' between Lord Shiva and Parvathi in the late evening hours. The marriage is performed with all the rites, including ceremonial tying of 'Thali' or 'Mangal Sutra'.

Marriage in Hindu Tradition

Hindu mythology and tradition places a great emphasis on marriage. Only marriage makes a 'human being' or for that matter a 'God' complete. No perfection and enlightenment can be obtained without experiencing the institution of marriage. This is to indicate that nothing can be achieved without a woman being an equal partner in a venture. Lord Shiva manifests himself as 'Ardhnareeshwar' to depict that the Lord is none other than the combination of male and female elements, energies and forces.

Every deity must have a consort. If there is a shrine to Shiva, there should be a shrine to Ambal (Parvati) also. Hindu rites cannot be performed by a bachelor or a widower, but only a married man in the company of his wife. No Homam (Havan) can be conducted without the lady of the house. Any Charity or 'Dhan' including 'Kanya Dhan' (giving a daughter in marriage) can be performed only by a couple and not by a widower. A man is qualified to become a priest only after he is married.

In the light of the above observations, the 'divine' marriage at Mylapore happens to be a very significant occurrence and is watched by thousands of people. To them 'marital bliss' of their Lord and his Consort is a reality to be cherished and invoked.

Many Forms of the Lord

To the residents of Mylapore, the Lord is their own and takes many forms as their mentor, guide, protector, teacher, friend and even as a 'child'. An eighty year old woman, who lives alone in Mylapore and refuses to join her well placed family in Delhi, argues: "If I leave this place, Kapaleeshwar and Karpaghambal would become orphans." For her Lord is a little child, who needs her love and care, and daily visits. It is to be remembered that, in Mylapore, at the doorsteps of the Kapali temple, St.Thomas one of the apostle of Christ, preached the message of Christ in the 1st century A.D. For a long time, the Chief of the Catholic Church in Tamil Nadu was called 'Arch Bishop of Mylapore' and even today he is called 'Arch-Bishop of Mylapore and Madras'.

Mylapore is also the native place of 'Thiruvalluvar' the 'patron sage' of Tamil Nadu. He is the author of 'Thirukural' the 'divine couplets'. The couplets are no doubt secular in nature, but who can say if it was not the Lord himself who created the inspiration.

Temple-Tank

There is an interesting legend about the temple tank. The temple did not have a tank and the present tank at the temple belonged to Nawab Mohammed Ali, the Nawab of Arcot. It is said that a delegation of priests and devotees met the Nawab and impressed upon him, that it was an absolute necessity for a temple to have a tank. The benevolent Nawab gifted the tank to the temple. However, at that time Shia Muslim brethrens were already using this tank for immersion of Panjas (Tajias) on the day of Moharram. The tank was gifted to the temple on the condition that Shia brethren would continue to use it for Moharrum. This practice continues till date. The descendants of the Nawab of Arcot have shown goodwill towards the temple from time to time. The present Prince of Arcot, Janab Mohammed Abdul Ali visited the temple and tank on the eve of 'Teppam Festival' and had darshan of the Lord in the Teppam. He was bestowed with temple honours. The Lord at Mylapore is all pervasive, all embracive. He truly belongs to all.