Koneswarar Temple

Overview

Sri Koneswarar Temple, Tirukkonamalai temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva as Shri Koneswarar, located at Triconamalee or Trincomalee, near Talai Mannar and Jaffna on the East Coast of Sri Lanka. This temple is one amongst the 275 padal petra sthalam and one of the two padal petra sthalam in Srilanka, the second one being Shri Tirukketheeswaram. The main deity, or Moolavar, is Shri Koneswarar, and the goddess, or Ambal (= the aspect of Parvati, as the spouse of Lord Shiva) is Shree Maadulaiyaalammai. The sacred pond at the temple is known as Kona Theertham.

About the Temple

The Shri Koneswarar temple to Lord Shiva as Kona + Eswara, has also been known, factually, as Dakshina Kailasam, as are many temple to Lord Shiva in South India and Sri Lanka. There is some mix-up about the recognition of the place as the Dakshina Kailasam, since Kataragama is also recognised by the legends of Murugan as Kadiragamar. The temple is supposed to have also been mentioned in the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Yalpana Vaipava Malai.

Built significantly during the reign of the early Cholas and the Five Dravidians of the Early Pandyan Kingdomatop Konesar Malai, a promontory overlooking Trincomalee District, Gokarna bay and the Indian Ocean, its Pallava, Chola, Pandyan and Jaffna design reflect a continual Tamil Saivite influence in the Vannimai region from the classical period. The monument contains its main shrine to Shiva in the form Kona-Eiswara, shortened to Konesar and is a major place for Hindu pilgrimage, labelled the "Rome of the Gentiles/Pagans of the Orient". Connected at the mouth of the Mahavilli Ganga River to the footprint of Shiva at Sivan Oli Padam Malai at the river’s source, the temple symbolically crowns the flow of the Ganges River from Shiva’s head of Mount Kailash to his feet.

About the Deity

The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Koneswarar. His consort is known as Maadulaiyaalammai

Legend and Stories

Developed from 205 BC, the original kovil combined key features to form its basic Dravidian temple plan, such as its thousand pillared hall – "Aayiram Kaal Mandapam"– and the Jagati expanded by King Elara Manu Needhi Cholan. Observed as the greatest building of its age for its architecture, elaborate sculptural bas-relief ornamentation adorned a black granite megalith while it’s multiple gold plated gopuram towers were expanded in the medieval period. One of three major Hindu shrines on the promontory with a colossal gopuram tower, it stood distinctly on the cape’s highest eminence. The journey for pilgrims in the town begins at the opening of Konesar Road and follows a path through courtyard shrines of the compound to the deities Bhadrakali, Ganesh, Vishnu Thirumal, Surya, Raavana, Ambal-Shakti, Murukan and Shiva who preside at the promontory’s height. The annual Koneswaram Temple Ther Thiruvilah festival involves the Bhadrakali temple of Trincomalee, the Pavanasam Theertham at the preserved Papanasuchunai holy well and the proximal Back Bay Sea (Theertham Karatkarai) surrounding Konesar Malai.

The complex was destroyed in colonial religious attacks between 1622 and 1624 and a fort was built at the site from its debris. A 1632 built temple located away from the city houses some of its original idols. Worldwide interest was renewed following the discovery of its underwater and land ruins, sculptures and Chola bronzes by archaeologists and Arthur C. Clarke. It has been preserved through restorations, most recently in the 1950s. Granted ownership of villages in its floruit to form the Trincomalee District, Trincomalee village is located on the cape isthmus within the compounds. The modern temple has been a source of conflict between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils due to its position in a geostrategically important area. Revenue from the temple provides services and food to local residents.

The complex was destroyed in colonial religious attacks between 1622 and 1624 and a fort was built at the site from its debris. A 1632 built temple located away from the city houses some of its original idols. Worldwide interest was renewed following the discovery of its underwater and land ruins, sculptures and Chola bronzes by archaeologists and Arthur C. Clarke. It has been preserved through restorations, most recently in the 1950s. Granted ownership of villages in its floruit to form the Trincomalee District, Trincomalee village is located on the cape isthmus within the compounds. The modern temple has been a source of conflict between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils due to its position in a geostrategically important area. Revenue from the temple provides services and food to local residents.

Koneswaram has many strong historic associations. The shrine is described in the Vayu Purana, the Konesar Kalvettu and Tevaram hymns by Sambandharand Sundarar as a Paadal Petra Sthalam along with its west coast counterpart Ketheeswaram temple, Mannar, it is the birthplace of Patanjali, the compiler of the Yoga Sutras and was praised for its tradition by Arunagirinathar upon his visit. The Dakshina Kailasa Puranam and Manmiam works note it as Dakshina/Then Kailasam (Mount Kailash of the South) for its longitudinal position and pre-eminence, it lies directly east of Kudiramalai west coast Hindu port town, while it is the easternmost shrine of the five ancient Iswarams of Shiva on the island. Mentioned as a widely popular bay temple of the island in the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Yalpana Vaipava Malai, the Mattakallappu Manmiam confirms its sacred status for all Hindus. Kachiyappa Sivachariar’s Kanda Puranam compares the temple to Thillai Chidambaram Temple and Mount Kailash in Saivite esteem. Konesar Malai may have been the site where Yoga originated; some scholars have suggested that the worship of the almighty god Eiswara on the promontory is the most ancient form of worship existing.

Accessibility

Airport

Sri Lanka is accessible by sea and by air. The former applies only on a cruise liner, as the ferry service between Sri Lanka and the Indian port of Rameswaram has collapsed due to the ongoing war raging in northern parts of the island. A few airlines other than the national carrier, Air Lanka, fly to Kattunayake International Airport (Sri Lanka’s lone international airport).

However, flights from around 30 odd destinations around the world and finding connections to these terminals are usually not a problem. Another option if your itinerary includes India, is to fly Indian Airlines (India’s domestic airline), which operates daily flights to Colombo from a number of southern Indian cities including Thiruvananthpuram, Bangalore and Chennai.

Temple Address

Sri Koneswarar Temple,
Trincomalee, Trincomalee District,
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka.