Aathi Koneswaram Temple

Aathi Koneswaram Temple Aathi Koneswaram Temple Aathi Koneswaram Temple

Aathi Koneswaram Temple in Sri Lanka: A Place of Worship

Aathi Koneswaram Temple in Sri Lanka is a regionally important Hindu temple located in the Thambalagamuwa village in the Trincomalee District. The name of the temple in Tamil means the "Temple of the Original Lord of Konesvaram". It is situated 24 kilometers from the town of Trincomalee. The temple was constructed during the 17th century in replacement to the Koneswaram temple (Temple of Thousand Pillars) that was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1622. Only the main Sanctorum remains of the original temple. The Gopuram or main entrance tower was added in 1953 and is one of the tallest in the region.

The temple is built of stone and is surrounded by two enclosed pathways. The presiding deity is Siva but there are important cults associated with the veneration of Pattini Amman and Kathirkaswami accommodated within the main premises as well. The temple also has minor shrines to Pulleyar, Navagraha, Murunkan, Valli and Tevayani. The daily services are held set according to scriptures along with an elaborate annual festival that involves Tamil and Sinhala devotees of Trincomalee district. There are also festivals that pertain to Pattini Amman and Kathirkaswami. As part of the Sri Lankan civil war, in the 1980s and 90's the village was deserted and the temple abandoned. Since 2004 residents of the village have returned and the temple has been restored.

Aathi Koneswaram Temple in Sri Lanka: The History

Aathi Koneswaram Temple in Sri Lanka is situated in the village of Thambalagamuwa that was part of the medieval semi-independent feudal division called Thambalagamuwa Pattu. Prior to the arrival of Portuguese in 1622 and then Dutch colonial overloads in 1656, leaders of the Thambalagamuwa Pattu and others around it were independent rulers. Thambalagamuwa is surrounded by lush paddy fields and was a prosperous settlement. The presiding deity is known as Ati Konanayakar and the consort as Hamsagamanambike; another name for Mother Goddess Amman. These names are significant of the original presiding deity of the Ko esvaram temple, Konesar and Annam Mennatai. The idol of the presiding deity is dated to the later Chola period (1070-1279 CE) and the consort to that of early Chola period based on the composition of metals and styles. The temple's name and the separate shrine to Ati Konanayakar allude to the tradition that this temple was built to accommodate the idols that were saved from the destruction of the Temple of Thousand Pillars in Trincomalee by the Portuguese colonial officers.

According to Tirukonasala Purana the temple was built with the help of

Trincomalee District

Trincomalee is a port city on the east coast of Sri Lanka. The Bay of Trincomalee's harbour is renowned for its large size and security; unlike every other in the Indian Sea, it is accessible to all types of craft in all weathers. The beaches are used for surfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching. The city also has the largest Dutch fort in Sri Lanka. It is home to major Sri Lankan naval bases and a Sri Lankan Air Force base.

Most of the Tamils and Sinhalese believe that this place is sacred to them and they are the indigenous people of the area. Trincomalee and its environs have both Hindu and Buddhist sites of historical importance. These sites are sacred to the Hindus and Buddhists.

Eastern Province

The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was temporarily merged with the Northern Province to form the North-East Province. The capital of the province is Trincomalee. The Eastern province's population was 1,460,939 in 2007. The province is the most diverse in Sri Lanka, both ethnically and religiously.

Eastern province has an area of 9,996 square kilometers (3,859.5 sq mi).The province is surrounded by the Northern Province to the north, the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Southern Province to the south, and the Uva, Central and North Central provinces to the west. The province's coast is dominated by lagoons, the largest being Batticaloa lagoon, Kokkilai lagoon, Upaar Lagoon and Ullackalie Lagoon.

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