Mylapore is - and has in some sense always been - the religious and cultural epicentre 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, and is the epicentre around which the area of Mylapore is built. During this walk, you will visit the temple in the company of our knowledgeable guide. We will also walk through the surrounding areas, where 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. The walk takes us through small lanes with old-style homes, through silk shops, stores selling music and religious memorablia, ‘kutcheri’ auditoriums, etc. At the end of the tour, we stop at the popular Saravana Bhavan for snacks and coffee.

Visit the Santhome Basilica and listen to stories of the arrival of St Thomas to India and the evolution of Christianity in these parts

After completing the walking tour,we will provide you the breakfast here.