{
  "id": 12615641,
  "title": "The seven Shiva temples of Mylapore",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/the-seven-shiva-temples-of-mylapore",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-07T11:28:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/the-seven-shiva-temples-of-mylapore/article71551833.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The tradition of the Sapta Sthana circuit, involving seven Shiva temples in Mylapore, has been growing in recent times. This tradition, believed to be 1000 years old, was unknown to many Mylaporeans until the early 2000s. The Sapta Sthana circuit is not exclusive to Mylapore, as similar traditions exist elsewhere, such as in the Thanjavur region, where seven ancient Shiva temples are revered in the Tevaram. In Mylapore, these temples are not linked by a common legend and are not equally ancient. For instance, the Kapaliswarar temple, the oldest among them, is believed to be around three hundred years old, while the Virupakshiswarar temple dates back to the 11th century. The remaining five temples were likely constructed by migrants who wanted to symbolize their places of origin in Mylapore. Despite some temples claiming ancient origins, discrepancies in government records and historical references suggest that their true ages may be disputed. The Sapta Sthana circuit is thought to have gained popularity due to a booklet published in 2002, which spread the idea of this tradition back 1000 years.",
  "summary": "Apart from the truly ancient temples of the city that predate the founding of the colonial metropolis, most shrines here were constructed by the well-to-do, wanting some symbols of their places of origin in the city in which they had settled",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}