Ketheeswaram Temple /Sri Thiruketheeswaram Temple / திருக்கேஸ்வரம் சிவன் கோயில், திருக்கேதீச்சரம் / Thiruketheeswaram, Sri Lanka.

This is the 274^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 2^nd Sthalam of Eezha Nadu also known as Sri Lanka. This is one of 5 Temples that ends with Ishwarams dedicated to Lord Shiva of Sri Lanka The other temples are Koneswaram (Trincomalee), Naguleswaram (Keerimalai), Tenavaram (Tevan Thurai) and Munneswaram (Puttalam). These are very popular even before the arrival of Vijaya in 600 BCE. Literary evidence is there about the existence of these 5 temples in Sri Lanka.

In Periyapuranam, Sekkizhar records that both Thirugnanasambandar and Sundarar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of Thiruketheeswaram and Trincomalee temples from Rameshwaram.

அந்நகரில் அமர்ந்து அங்கண் இனிது மேவி ஆழிபுடை சூழ்ந்து ஒலிக்கும் ஈழம் தன்னில்

மன்னு திருக்கோணமலை மகிழ்ந்த செங்கண் மழவிடையார் தமைப்போற்றி வணங்கிப் பாடிச்

சென்னிமதி புணைமாட மாதோட்டத்தில் திருக்கேதீச்சரத்து அண்ணல் செய்ய பாதம்

உன்னி மிகப்பணிந்து ஏத்தி அன்பரோடும் உலவாத கிழிபெற்றார் உவகை உற்றார்

Thirugnanasambandar, Sundarar, and Ramalinga adigalar have sung in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

பண்டு நால்வருக்கு அறம் உரைத்தருளிப் பல்லுல கினில் உயிர் வாழ்க்கை

கண்ட நாதனார் கடலிங்கை தொழக்காதலித் துறை கோயில்

வண்டு பண்செய்மாமலர்ப் பொழின் மஞ்சை நடமிடு மாதோட்டம்

தொண்டர் நாடொறும் துதிசெய  அருள் செய் கேதீச் சரமதுதானே

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்.

அங்கத்துறு நோய்கள் அடியார் மேல் ஒழித்தருளி

வங்கம் மலிகின்ற கடன் மாந்தோட்ட நன்னகரில்

பங்கஞ்செய்த மடவாளொடு பாலாவியின் கரைமேல்

தெங்கம் பொழில் சூழ்ந்த திருக்கேதீச்சரத்தானே”

....... சுந்தரர்

                                              -“வேட்டுலகின்

மூதிச் சரமென்று முன்னோர் வணங்கு திருக்

கேதீச் சரத்திற் கிளர்கின்றோய்”

......திரு அருட்பா.

Moolavar  : Sri Thiruketheeswarar

Consort    : Sri Gowriambal.

Some of the salient features of this temple are …...

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram on the east. Balipeedam, Rishabam, and Dwajasthambam are in front. At the entrance of Rajagopuram the old Nandhi and Ganapathi and Subramaniar sannidhis. Adhikara Nandhi is on the left side of RajaGopuram. 

In the inner praharam sannidhi for Suriyan, Storage place, Yaga salai, Thirugnanasambandar, Ketu, Santhanasiriyars, Thirumuraigal, Chatur Vedas, Urchava murtis of Nalvar, Sekkizhar Peruman,  63var,  Sundarar. Next is Vinayagar, Somaskandar, Vishnu, Mahalingam (He was once a moolavar who was damaged during excavation),  Subramaniar,  Deva Saba, Saraba Moorthy, Nataraja,  Yaga salai, Bhairavar, Saneeswaran and Chandran.

Navagrahas are in a Nirutha mandapam. Ambal Sri Gowri Ambal is facing south. The temple has 5 Chariots, of which Moolavar’s is big. 

The original Moolavar

There are lot of madams on the east street some of them are Thirugnanasambandar madam, Sundarar madam, Nattukottai Chettiars madam, Amma madam, Pasumadam, Poonagariyar madam, on south street Swamy madam, Sivarathri Madam, Nesavu madam, Sthapathis madam, on the west street Gurukula madam and on North street Navalar madam, Vishwakarma madam, Thirukkuripu Thondar madam, Annadhana mandapam.

HISTORY 

This temple is in the north part (North Province) of Sri Lanka at Maanthai alias Maathotta nagar on the banks of Pallavi river ( Now it has become like a lake  )near Mannar. Once it was a port, used for business by the Greeks, Romans, Arabians, etc,. Maha Dhuvatta a deva thachan worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple, hence this place was called Mahadhuvatta Puram and later called Mathottam. Also, Manthai originally came from Maha Sandhai (மகா சந்தை -  a daily weekly monthly, or yearly held marketplace is called sandhai )

As per the Govt of India website, this is one of the Five Ishwarams dedicated to Lord Shiva, venerated by the saivites of the subcontinent. The government of India was in the process of restoring this temple under the Indian grant assistance of LKR’s 326 million through the assistance of the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ) and the College of Architecture of Mamallapuram. This was published in the year 2012. The works might have been completed in 2020..?

The temple was completely destroyed by the Portuguese and was reconstructed later.  Next to this are the Pappa Mottai, Maaligai Thidal, Vettaiyamurippu, Kovilkulam, Paddy field, Coconut trees, etc,. During the Chozhas Period, Chozha King Rajarajasekaran’s son Rajendran called this place Arunmozhitheva Valanadu. Also called as Man Thottathu Rajarajapuram. The Place Pappamottai once was a raised land occupied by the Brahmins who had done pujas to this temple and the Vettaiyamurippu was used for conducting Thirukethareeswarar’s Vettai thiruvizha.

The inscriptions from the old temple site record the Chozha’s contributions to this temple. In addition to this, the inscriptions at Chidambaram temple also throw some light on the thiruppani done by the Pandya King Sundarapandian to this temple. 

The temple was once under the control of Chingaiyaria Kings who also controls the Rameswaram of Tamil Nadu.

The temple was completely destroyed by the Portuguese and poojas are terminated since 1589 CE. The stones removed from the temple were used for the construction of Mannar Fort.

Even though the temple was destroyed the murtis/idols were safely buried under the earth. This was informed by Sri la Sri Arumuga Navalar who lived in the year 1872, through bit notices and he was instrumental in bringing out of the temple details to this world after it was destroyed. With his effort, a small shrine was built in the year 1910. The Palavi theertha was restored in 1949. A Major effort was made to complete the temple in the year 1976. 

The temple is constructed on 43 acres of land through an open auction for Rs 3100.00 by Thiru Rama. Aru. Palaniappa Chettiar from the British Governor U Willams Duvanaima Durai in a postponed 2nd time auction on 13-12-1893 (The first time went up to Rs 3050, which the Saivaites could not mobilize the money and was asked by Christians).

The important people involved in the reconstruction of this temple are Palaniappa Chettiar, Pasupathi Chettiar, and Neeraviyadi Vai. Arumugam, Vaithiyar Ramu Pillai,  Raghava Pillai from Tamil Nadu and Latter for thirupani Somasundaram Chettiar  (1952) of Kulasekarapattinam, 

During reconstruction, the old sanctum sanctorum, Artha mandapam, Balipeedam, and Dwajastham installed places were unearthed. Damage occurred for the moola Lingam (Maha lingam) during excavation was installed in the praharam. The estimated cost of the temple was Rs 22000 for moolavar and Ambal sannadhis.

Kumbhabhishekam was performed in 1903, 1910, 1948, 1956 (Sri Somasundaram Desikar, Madurai Aadheenam, and  Polioli Sivapatha Sundaram are responsible), 1960 (Sri la Sri Arumuga Navalar’s student  Kasi vasi Senthilnatha Iyer with the help of Tamil Nadu’s Sthapathis thirupani), 1971 and 1976 in various stages and in 2020 (10^th June 2020).

From 14-09-1956, the responsibility of maintenance of this temple was transferred to Eelam Sivanadiyar from Nattukottai Chettiars. But still, Chettiar's participation is there.

The Somaskandar is the largest in the world and was made at Ketheeswaram itself. The idol was made of panchalogam ( 5 metals )  of which nearly 112 grams of gold was added.

For this temple’s Devara Thirupathigam meanings are written by Sri Ponnambalam Pillai, the son-in-law of Sri la Sri Arumuga Navalar. Malaysia Tamilars, Yazhpanam periyava Vasuvappa, Ponnili Udayar, Arulambalam, Mannar Asst Govt official Arumugam are responsible for thirupani to this temple.

(The Details were taken from the Temples' book released during the recent Kumbhabhishekam, Paadal Petra sthalangal details book written by Thiru Pu. ma. Jaya Senthilnathan of Kanchipuram Sankara Mutt and during the actual visit to this temple).

LEGEND 

The Lord was worshiped by Kethu, Maha Dhuvatta, Sri Ramar, Agasthiyar, Ravanan. Since Kethu worshiped, the temple was called as Thiruketheeswaram (“செய்ய கேது தலையற்ற அந்நாள் திருந்து பூசனை செய்து முடிப்போன்”).

It is said that the sage Agathiyar came to Sri Lanka as a part of a Pilgrimage to Shiva temples. He worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple before proceeding to Dakshina Kailash ( Koneswaram ). 

The Skanda Purana narrates the religious importance of Ceylon and the story of Thiruketheeswaram. It also narrates the competition held between Vayu and Adiseshan to prove who is great. When Adiseshan held the Mount Meru, Vayu tried to blow it.  In the process, three peaks had fallen on the earth. This one is called Thiruketheeswaram. It is believed that, out of most sacred Shiva temples two are in Sri Lanka and the rest are in India. 

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POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Maha Shivaratri day. Thousands of Devotees used to bring water from the Palavi river and do abhishekam to Lord Shiva. Theertha Kavadi is a special ritual carried out in this temple.

POOJA TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 11.30 Hrs and 15.30 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

The Dress code for Gents is dhoti to enter into the ardha mandapa.

CONTACT DETAILS

The Temple can be reached at  94 232 050 800 for further details.

HOW TO REACH

Thiruketheeswaram temple is about 8.7 km from Mannar, 72 km from Vavuniya, 109 km from Jaffna, 110 km from Anuradhapura, 169 km from Trincomalee, and 307 km from Colombo.

The nearest airport is Colombo, and the nearest Railway station is Thalai Mannar.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

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An Old Photograph - PC Website

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--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---