Mylapore Kabali Temple

Lord Shiva was imparting wisdom to Goddess Parvathy. Parvathy was distracted by a beautiful peacock and lost her concentration to the subject detailed by Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva cursed Parvathy that she would take birth as a peacock. She visited several places and finally reached Mylapore. Here she performed penance and Shiva Pooja under Punnai Maram/Tree. Hence this place is known as 'Mayilapur' which is colloquially known as Mylapore today (Mayil in Tamil means peacock and Mylapore refers to an Abode of Peacocks).

Lord Shiva was pleased with Parvathy's penance and the celestial wedding ceremony of Shiva and Parvathy took place in Uthiram Nakshatra/Star in Panguni tamil month. Every year Brahmotsavam is held in the month of Panguni and kalyana utsavam is held on Uthiram Nakshatra star day.

Singara Velan 

Singara Velan or Lord Muruga worshipped Shiva before he killed demon Soorapadman. There is a separate Mandapam with 16 pillars for Lord Muruga along with Kodi Maram/Dwaja Sthambam. Lord Muruga is seated on a peacock/Mayil and Valli Devayanai consorts are seated on an elephant here. Arunagirinathar has sung Tirupugazh verse praising Lord Muruga here. The image below shows the Singara Velan Sannidhi and Raja Gopuram of Mylapore.

Kapaleeswarar Temple 

Parvathy Worshipping Lord Shiva in the form of Peacock

 Punnai Maram-Sthala Vriksham under which Karpagambal performed Penance

There is saying in Tamil that 'Kailaye Mayilai, Mayilaye Kailai'. It means that Kailash in Sanskrit or Kayilai in Tamil, the celestial abode of Lord Shiva is the same as Mylapore and Mylapore is the same as Kailash to Lord Shiva. 

Agasthiar.org details that Mylapore is Kailash itself owing to the 7 Shiva Temples in Mylapore in their website link below,

http://www.agasthiar.org/AUMzine/0020-seven-shiva-temples-mylapore-chennai.htm

The Seven Shiva Temples in and around Mylapore are as follows,

1) Karaneeswarar

2) Theerthapaleeswarar

3) Velleswarar

4) Virupaksheeswarar

5) Valeeswarar

6) Malleswarar

7) Kapaleeswarar

Kapaleeswarar

Brahma Deva was proud that he had five faces and Lord Shiva wanted to teach him a lesson. Lord Shiva plucked the Fifth Head of Lord Brahma. The Fifth head stuck to Lord Shiva's hand as Skull which is known as Kapalam in Sanskrit/Tamil. Hence Lord Shiva here is known as Kapaleeswarar.

Karpagambal: Karpaga Vriksham

Agasthiar.org details that there is an invisible Karpaga Vriksham in front of Karpagambal Devi and Vayilar Nayanar in the Temple. Karpaga Vriksham in Tamil or Kalpataru/Kalpa Vriksham in Sanskrit refers to the divine wish yielding tree in heaven which grants all wishes of people under its shade. Karpagambal also grants all the wishes of her devotees who approach her.

Kola Vizhi Amman-Kaval Deivam of Mylapore

Kolavizhi Amman is the Kaval Devatha or the Deity who is incharge of the Mylapore Region. There is a separate temple for her in Mylapore. 'Kolam' means round shape and 'Vizhi' means eyesight/vision. Truly the Eyes of the Goddess are beautiful as seen in this photo below. Kolavizhi Amman is a form of Bhadrakali. 

It is to be noted that even today first pooja even in Brahmotsavam in Mylapore is performed to kolavizhi amman before performing pooja to Kapaleeswarar. The Utsava Murthy of Kolavizhi Amman is taken out in procession first before 63 Nayanmargal procession in Brahmotsavam. Kola Vizhi Amman Temple is located near Santhome High Road  in Chennai and the Google Map Location of the same is as follows,

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Kolavizhi+Amman+Koil/@13.0364122,80.2754254,17.38z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x1fe5d2e842b6df75!8m2!3d13.0370078!4d80.2753868

Kola Vizhi Amman

Poompavai Brought Back to Life

Sivanesan was a trader and his daughter Poompavai died after a snake bit her while plucking Flowers. After completion of her funeral, Sivanesan kept the ashes and bones in a jar. Tirugnanasambandar came to the place and sung Pathigam in Tamil praising Lord Kabaleeswara. Poompavai was brought back to life after he sung the pathigam. The Tamil Lyrics of the Pathigam are in the link below,

http://shaivam.org/tamil/thirumurai/thiru02_047.htm

Pradosha Utsavam of Mylapore

Karpagambal Kabali Kalyana Utsavam: Panguni Uthiram

There is a Goshala with around 15-20 cows inside the Temple Premises near the Punnai Maram Sthala Vriksham.

Goshala

Kodimaram/Dwaja Sthambam

Other Highlights

Vinyaka here is known as Nardana Vinayaka. Here Saneeswarar is looking westwards and hence is powerful in a separate sannidhi. Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathy are seated together in the Prakara of Kapaleeswarar which is rare.