Kapileswara Swamy Temple, Tirupati

Kapileswara Swamy Temple is the oldest and the only major Shiva temple in Tirupati, set at the foot of the Tirumala hills. Shiva is worshipped here as Kapileswara over a swayambhu linga linked to the sage Kapila, beside the perennial Kapila Theertham waterfall.

Shiva as Kapileswara

At this temple Shiva is worshipped as Kapileswara over a self-manifested (swayambhu) linga, which tradition holds was venerated by the sage Kapila. In a town overwhelmingly associated with Vishnu at Tirumala, this is the principal seat of Shaiva worship, giving Tirupati its balance of the two great traditions.

Worship follows the southern Shaiva pattern of abhishek and alankaram, with the linga bathed and adorned and lamps offered through the daily cycle. The temple’s antiquity lends it a special standing among the shrines of the area.

The Kapila Theertham

Beside the temple a perennial waterfall, the Kapila Theertham, descends from the Tirumala hills into a sacred tank at the temple’s edge. The falling water and the tank give the shrine its distinctive setting at the very foot of the hills.

Pilgrims traditionally bathe in the theertham before darshan, treating the holy water as a preparation for worship. The tank is integral to the temple’s sanctity and to the experience of visiting it.

Worship and Maha Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri is the chief festival of the temple, observed with night-long worship and special abhishek through the watches of the night. On this occasion the temple draws its largest crowds, with devotees keeping vigil before Kapileswara.

Through the rest of the year the temple keeps a steady round of daily worship, and many who come to Tirupati for the Vishnu shrine at Tirumala also stop here to honour Shiva, completing their devotion to both traditions.

Visiting the temple

The temple lies at the foot of the Tirumala hills within Tirupati, which is among the most visited pilgrim cities of India and is well served by rail, road and air. Its location makes it an easy addition to a Tirumala pilgrimage.

Visitors may bathe in the Kapila Theertham before darshan and should observe the usual temple etiquette of modest dress and removal of footwear. Mornings and the evening worship are natural times to visit.

• Distinction: oldest and only major Shiva temple in Tirupati
• Sacred water: Kapila Theertham waterfall and tank
• Chief festival: Maha Shivaratri

Frequently Asked Questions

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