Tuesday, 30 August 2022

Sri Ponnambalawaneswarar Devastanam Kovil / ஸ்ரீபொன்னம்பலவனேஸ்வரம் கோவில் / ශ්රීපොන්නම්බලවානේස්වරර්දේවස්ථානය, කොටහේන / கொட்டாஞ்சேனை /Kotahena, Colombo, Sri Lanka

The Visit to this Sri Ponnambalawaneswarar temple, at Kotahena, Colombo was a part of Sri Lanka’s ( Ezha Nadu ) Paadal Petra sthalangal Visit scheduled between 28th November to 2nd December 2013. Utilizing this opportunity, we have Visited some, Shiva, Murugan, and Amman Temples and Epic Ramayan-associated sites of Sri Lanka.
 

Moolavar    : Sri Ponnambalawaneswarar, 
                   Sri Swarna Sabeswarar swamy
Consort      : Sri Sivakami Ambal

Some of the important details of this temple are …..
The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are in inner prakaram, after the Rajagopuram. In Koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

Kanni Moola Vinayagar, Somaskandar, Pancha Lingas, Maha Vishnu, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Utsavars, Shaniswaran, Bhairavar, Swarna Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Chandran, Suryan, Yaga Salai and Nalvar are in the praharam. Utsava Murtis Natarajar with Sivagami, Sri Valli Devasena Arumugar with 6 faces and 12 hands are in maha mandapam, the screens are with Shiva & Parvati's Kailaya scene.
 
Ambal Sri Sivakami is in a separate sannidhi facing south. The outer praharam is spacious with sannidhi for Anjaneyar. Muthumariamman and Nagar.

Rama,  Sita, and Lakshmana
ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and maha mandapam. The praharam was completely covered with stone. Provisions are given for natural lighting and ventilation which are not adequate.

The temple was constructed with stone from adhistanam to prastaram. The adhistanam is of pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, Kumudam, and pattikai. The Bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are vrutha pilasters with base with nagabandham, kalasam, kudam, palakai, and pushba pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam, and bhoomi Desam.

Some of the stones are brought from India. The master sculptors are from India. The Pillars have the bas reliefs of various Hindu GOD and Goddess, flower motifs. The praharam Pillars are very similar to Rameswaram and the lamps are similar to Thiruvannamalai temple.
 
The corridor reminds Rameswaram Temple 


HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
Ponnambala Mudaliar constructed a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in the year 1857. After him, Ponnambalam Ramanathan his son, an attorney General and a freedom fighter of Sri Lanka built this temple in stone in the year 1907 - 1912. Ashta Bandhana Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 21st November 2012. Further expanded by his grandson, Rehabilitation, resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister D M Swaminathan, which includes the construction of the east side 5 tier Rajagopuram in the year 1965. The Rajagopuram was built with stone up to the prastaram level and the superstructure was built with bricks, which has 162 stucco images. 
 
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from 5 kala regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on, Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Vinayagar Chaturthi, Arudra darshan, Navaratri, etc,. The Annual festival starts on the 10th day of Panguni and ends on Panguni Uthiram. Somaskandar, Chandikeswarar, Murugan with Valli Devasena will be taken in procession in Temple cars which are pulled maximum by the ladies.


TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open between 05.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS
The Landline numbers +94112431252 or +94112447837 may be contacted for further details.  

HOW TO REACH
The temple is very much closer to the harbor, 2.5 km from Fort Station, 2.3 km from Colombo Bus Stand, and 4 km from the International Airport.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE






--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

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