Appar Swamigal Temple - Mylapore, Chennai

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Mylapore in Chennai is widely known for its heritage lanes, living traditions, and the ever-busy Kapaleeswarar Temple. Yet, right in this familiar landscape, there is a quieter shrine that many people walk past without noticing.

Opposite the Sanskrit College stands the temple of Appar Swamigal. In the 19th century, a saint known as Appar Swamigal lived in Chennai. After his passing in 1851 CE, his disciple Chidambara Swamigal created a samadhi for him and installed a Shiva Linga over it. Two years later, in 1853, a temple was built around this Linga, which continues as the presiding deity of the shrine. It is important to note that this Appar Swamigal is not the same as Appar, the celebrated Nayanmar saint.

The temple greets you with a large open prakara lined with a few trees, giving the space a calm, unhurried feel. One of the rare sights here is the fusion of neem and peepul, two trees that are often worshipped, seen joined together in a single living form. The temple is neatly maintained, with Nandi, the bali peetham, and a flagstaff aligned in front of the sanctum, though it does not have a prominent tower.

The main deity is Viswanatha, worshipped as a large Shiva Linga. Around the sanctum, the prakara walls hold the usual koshta icons: Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Vishnu, Durga, and Brahma, while Chandikeshwara appears in his customary place. A separate shrine houses the goddess Vishalakshi, whose icon is notably large and commanding.

In the open corridor, you will also find Neethi Vinayakar, a distinctive arrangement where three Ganesha icons sit in a single row. Devotees believe this form helps resolve legal issues. Nearby is the shrine for Jaya Subramanya, accompanied by Valli and Devasena.

The temple includes several other icons and shrines as well, including Sekkizhar, the Navagrahas, Tayumanavar, Nalvar, Bhairava, Appar Swamigal (within the samadhi setting), Nataraja–Sivakami with multiple bronze icons, Shaneeswarar, and Jaya Ganesha.

If you happen to pass the Sanskrit College stretch of Mylapore, this is one temple worth stepping into, quiet, rooted in recent history, and filled with small details that stay with you.

Happy travelling.





Location: Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

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