Thiruketheeswaram Temple, Sri Lanka

Thiruketheeswaram is one of the five Pancha Ishwarams, the ancient Shiva temples that Hindu tradition places around the coast of Sri Lanka. It stands near the old port of Manthai, on the mainland about 10 km from Mannar. Tamil saints praised it in hymns well over a thousand years ago, and it remains one of the most sacred Hindu sites on the island.

History

Manthai was once a major harbour on the trade routes between east and west, and the temple grew wealthy beside it. In the late 16th century, the Portuguese destroyed the temple and used its stones to build the fort at Mannar and churches nearby. The site lay buried for centuries until the Hindu revival of the late 1800s, when the reformer Arumuga Navalar urged that it be found and rebuilt. A new temple was consecrated in the early 20th century, and in recent years it has been reconstructed again in carved granite, much of it worked by craftsmen from India.

Tradition also links the temple with the Ramayana. It is said that Ravana's father-in-law, Mayan, built it, and that Rama worshipped Shiva here.

What to see

• The main shrine, where Shiva is worshipped as Ketheeswaranathar, with a shrine for the goddess Gowri Ambal.
• The carved granite halls and gopuram, the result of the modern rebuilding.
• The Palavi tank, the sacred pond beside the temple where pilgrims bathe before worship, especially at festivals.

Festivals

Maha Shivaratri, in February or March, is the great event of the year. Thousands of pilgrims bathe in the Palavi tank and keep an all-night vigil. Accommodation in Mannar is limited, so book well ahead if you plan to attend. Our festivals calendar has more.

Visiting

Men are usually asked to remove their shirts before entering the inner temple, and everyone should dress modestly and remove their shoes. Photography inside may be restricted, so ask first. The temple closes for part of the day between pujas, so aim for early morning or late afternoon. This region is hot and dry, and the stone underfoot can burn by midday.

Getting there

The temple is signposted off the Medawachchiya to Mannar road, about 20 minutes from Mannar town. From Anuradhapura it takes around 2 hours, and from Jaffna about 2.5 hours. Public transport reaches Mannar, but a private vehicle makes the temple much easier to reach. Read our Hindu temples guide for the other Ishwarams, and the north itinerary for route ideas.