Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore

Kapaleeshwarar Temple is the spiritual heart of Mylapore, the old Tamil quarter of Chennai that predates the British city by many centuries. The temple is dedicated to Shiva in the form of Kapaleeswarar and to his consort Karpagambal, and its eastern gateway, a gopuram rising in tiers of brightly painted gods, goddesses, animals and demons, is one of the most photographed sights in the city. The structure you see today is generally dated to the Vijayanagara period in the sixteenth century, though a far older Pallava-era shrine is believed to have stood nearer the shore, and the temple tank, the Kapaleeswarar Kulam, still sits at the foot of the complex, ringed by steps where families gather in the evening. What makes the temple special is that it is a working institution rather than a museum. Priests perform rituals through the day, devotees circle the shrines barefoot, musicians play the nadaswaram and thavil on festival occasions, and the surrounding streets are full of flower sellers, brass shops and coffee stalls. Visiting is an immersion in the daily religious life of South India, and it is also one of the easiest places in the city to understand how Dravidian temple architecture is organised, with its concentric courtyards, pillared halls and sanctums that grow more sacred as you move inward.

The temple is at its busiest in the Tamil month of Panguni, usually March into April, when the Arupathumoovar festival brings a procession of sixty-three Nayanmar saint images and a chariot festival through the streets. Even outside festival season the evening hours are lively, when lamps are lit and the smell of jasmine and camphor fills the courtyards.

Photography of the exterior and the tank is generally fine, but rules about photography inside the shrines vary, so follow the signs and ask if you are unsure. Shoes are left outside, usually with a small attendant, and modest dress with covered shoulders and knees is expected.

Mylapore itself rewards a slow walk. The streets around the temple, especially the four Mada streets that ring it, hold old agraharam houses, sari shops, sweet and snack stalls and some of the city's most traditional filter coffee. A guided walking tour of the area, such as the cultural walk linked here, is the best way to understand the temple's stories, the role of the tank and the nearby shrines, and to taste local snacks along the way.

Guides can also explain the sculpture on the gopuram, which retells episodes from the Puranas and which is hard to read without help.

Evening is also the best time for the temple tank, which fills with reflections of the gopuram and local people practising devotion, picnicking or simply sitting. If you are lucky enough to visit when music is being played inside, stand quietly in a courtyard and listen to the nadaswaram's piercing, joyful tone, which is considered auspicious and carries across the neighbourhood. Several cafes and sweet shops nearby serve tiffin, filter coffee and traditional sweets, so you can follow the temple visit with a typical Tamil breakfast of idli, dosa and vada before moving on.

Practical planning is simple. The temple usually closes in the middle of the day, commonly from around noon to late afternoon, so go early in the morning or in the evening and check the hours with a local contact. Entry to the temple is generally free for visitors, though some inner areas and special darshan queues carry a small charge.

Non-Hindu visitors are normally welcome in the courtyards and at the main shrines, but you should observe the signs about restricted inner areas. Combine the visit with the nearby San Thome Basilica or Fort St George to build a half day of old Chennai, and bring small change for the shoe stand and for temple donations if you wish to give one.