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Here rose the potent city, Meliapor
Named in olden times,
Rich, vast and grand.
- Luiz Camoens, Portuguese Poet, 1572 |
Mylapore is - and has in some sense
always been - the religious and cultural epicenter of
the Tamil people. The village of Mylapore pre-dates Chennai.
A great shore temple dedicated to Shiva once stood at
this ancient thriving seaport, until the Portuguese arrived
in the mid-sixteenth century. They destroyed the temple,
created a Portuguese colony on the shore, and pushed Mylapore
inshore, where it still stands today.
The Shiva temple was re-built 300 years ago, and is called
the Kapaleeswara Temple. It is a fine example of the pure
Dravidian style, with gopurams and mandapams. If you go
in the evening, you will see the traditional evening pooja
- ask the Guide for the right time to go. If you’re
lucky, you might be in time for a special festival celebration
as well.
During your visit, you can see Mylapore in all its crowded
chaos. The jewellers, silk merchants, fruit and vegetable
sellers and the flower vendors in the bazaars provide
a colourful backdrop to the temple. |
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