The Olakkannesvara Temple ("flame eye";[1] commonly Olakkanatha; also known as, "the Old Lighthouse")[2] is in Mahabalipuram town, overlooking the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal in Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu, India.

As the area is within a high security zone because of a nuclear power station a few kilometres to its south, photography is prohibited.

Its original name, however, was Olakkannesvara, a corruption of "Ulaikkannisvaram" (meaning: the temple of Siva whose forehead contains the crescent moon or eye of wisdom).

An unusual feature is that of the carving of dvarpalas (guards) of the main shrine, which are in half-profile though the space available could have used to make a full-face profile as per traditional practice of the front facing style.

This is typical of Mahabalipuram Pallava style and a similar profile of dvarpalas is noted in the Trimurti Cave Temple.

Enclosed within pilasters, these images of Shiva as Kalantaka killing "Kaala" (Yama) are later additions, not attributable to the Pallavas.