Hindu Temples of India: Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee

Koneswaram Temple, Trincomalee – The Temple

The shrine was known to Europeans as the Pagoda of Trincomalee – Temple of a Thousand Columns. The main shrine was built upon the jagati while its thousand pillared hall was the Aayiram Kaal Mandapam – a distinctly thousand pillared platform close to the vimana of the Koil that forms a distinct part of the site plan of classical Dravidian temple architecture. Ruins of this feature at Koneswaram indicate that the hall was a structural addition erected by Pallava artisans, dated between 537–668.

It formed one of the nine prakara or major courtyard compounds of the Koneswaram complex. Two other temples were prominent compound monuments on the promontory, containing prolific gopura structures over the shrines built to Vishnu-Thirumal and the goddess Ambal-Shakti. Together, they became known as the Three Pagodas of Thirukonamalai. The temple closest to the sea end was likely that dedicated to the goddess, where the current reconstructed Shiva temple stands.

A site plan by De Quieroz states: "On the first rise to the summit of the rock was a Pagoda, another at mid-ascent, and the principal one of them all at the highest eminence, visited by a concourse of Hindus from the whole of India”. In his dispatch to Philip III, King of Portugal, Constantine described: "The land of the Pagoda is 600 fathoms long (1.2 km) and 80 feet at its broadest, narrowing to 30 feet".

Koneswaram of Konesar Malai is located 152 Kms (94.4 mi) directly east from Kudiramalai, the ancient royal district and southern pearl-bank emporium of the Thiru Ketheeswaram temple, Mannar. Koneswaram lies on a straight diagonal path connected to Ketheeswaram and another former Jaffna temple and Paadal Petra Sthalam Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram.

This pilgrimage path of 225 Kms (140 mi) is often traversed by foot according to Hindu custom. The complex also lies on exactly the same longitude as Mount Kailash. Koneswaram is the easternmost shrine of the 5 ancient Iswarams of Lord Shiva on the island, the others being Naguleswaram (Keerimalai), Thiruketheeswaram (Mannar), Munneswaram (Chilaw) & Tenavaram (Tevan Thurai).

Near the entrance of the temple is an ancient high relief sculpture carved into living rock and painted. The relief shows the family of God Shiva; including his consort Parvati, and two sons Gods Ganesha and Murugan. A few wide tiled stairs lead to the summit; a more recent addition. Somewhere along the third stair or so, there is a tiled tub built which is kept filled with water. This is used to purify the devotees, so that they may wash their bare dusty feet before entering.

The temple is reached by a long road which was once part of the original pilgrimage path. The entrance has a huge old arch which appears to be from the time of the Portuguese. While there were once various shrines alongside the road, now the sides are covered in high walls and barbed wire as the land has been claimed by the Sri Lankan Army. Many parts of the temple, such as the holy bathing pond and etc., are now appropriated by the SLA as well. They are only open on the final days of the temple’s annual festival in April.

Vehicles are allowed up until quite close to the summit of the promontory, which is relieving as the sand and tar road turns burning hot during the heat of the day. No footwear is allowed from the point where the vehicles stop. The temple is at the end of a sandy courtyard at the top of the stairs.

Koneswaram’s current gopuram, the faintly conical construction on top of Hindu temple buildings with the tiers of colourful sculptures, is averagely sized. The original gopuram would have been massive. However, the bas reliefs on it are beautifully done and depict the many forms of God Shiva, his vehicle the bull Nandi, images of the other gods, classical carvings of temple guard sculptures (the idea is similar to gargoyles in Gothic architecture), and various beautiful sculptures such as flowers and etc.

The entrance facing the stairs is not the main entrance, but a side entrance. To the right of the right of the entrance is a massive God Shiva statue in the lotus position. The statue is newly made and painted and stands at least 14 feet. To enter through the main entrance the devotees have to walk around the corner to the right next to the main statue. The main entrance is larger than the side entrance.

Presiding Deity is called as Thirukoneswarar and Mother is called as Mathumayal. Presiding Deity is a Swayambu Moorthy and he is housed in the sanctum. The Sanctum of Tirukoneswaram is slightly different from other temples as it doesn’t have one shrine but two. To the left of the lingam (from the Lingam’s view) facing towards the side entrance, is the shrine of Koneswarar’s consort Goddess Mathumai Ammal. Both shrines are in a larger room which combined is the Sanctum. Narthana Vinayaga, Dakshinamoorthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durga are the Koshta Idols, located around the sanctum walls.

The roof and interior of the temple are beautifully sculpted and painted colorfully. The pillar to the right after entering has a large image depicting all the shrines in the temple, and the order of worshipping them. The wall to the left just after entering bears a beautifully painted image of the temple as it appeared originally before its destruction 400 years ago. The painting is so well done it appears three dimensional such that it takes effort to realize that it’s not a bas relief.

The temple has land for burning of lamps with ghee and the Lotus thread was used. Artha mandapam, Snapana Mandapam, Vasantha Mandapam, Yakasalai and Paagasalai are in the temple as per Aagama. There are shrines of Ganesha, Agastya, Bronze Shiva Lingam, Bronze Statue of Natarajar with Sivakama Sundari, Parvathi, Navagraha, Chandikeswarar, Bhairavar, Surya, Chandra, Nagas and Lord Murugan with his consorts Valli & Deivanai. Lord Murugan of this Temple has been praised by Saint Arunagirinathar in his Thiruppugazh Hymns.

There is a shrine for Nalvars (Sambandar, Navukarasar, Sundarar and Manikkavacakar) to the left of Main entrance. Lot of Utsava Idols can be found in Vasantha Mandapam. All the walls having paintings depicting various scenes from the miracles done by God Shiva and scenes from the history of the temple. All have clear one-line descriptions below them in the three languages Tamil, English and Sinhala letting all visitors easily gain more information. A painting of Shankari Devi can also be found in one of the walls.

There are many interesting and exciting things to see outside the temple complex. The temple has a small courtyard that is narrower towards the back, facing the sea. High, pillared wall surround it. Towards the back is the sacred tree of the temple, a Vilvam tree, which is completely overloaded with little wooden cradles hung by devotees wishing for children. The tree has one of the original pillars from the old temple near it, though it is not very obvious to see. In front of the main entrance, a few feet away, is a large rock up cropping.

A slight ramp along the rock face leads to two gates. One is kept closed by order of the SLA, and has steps leading to the sacred bathing pool of the temple which is used to wash the idols during festivals. A small shrine with a stone lingam below the shade of a five- headed snake is visible through the metal grating of the closed gate. To the right of that gate, penetrating through the rock itself is a path that is kept open. On passing through the cool shadows of the miniature tunnel, it quickly becomes visible that it is a very old section of the temple. The old rough-cut stone steps spiral around the rock face moving down shallowly.

The Papanasam Theertham at the preserved Papanasuchunai holy well and the proximal Back Bay Sea (Theertham Kadatkarai) surrounding Konesar Malai. The most important thing to see here is a small natural cave with a truly old, painted stone sculpture featuring God Shiva. A close perusal of the dark and dusty walls of the cave reveals many ancient stone inscriptions. These are supposed to be parts of the earliest form of the temple. Other inscriptions are also carved into the rock face.

A little further down the stairs facing the temple from the ocean, a giant golden idol of King Ravana stands in worship of the Swayambu Lingam in the temple. The statue stands on a risible metal platform and has hundreds of coins scattered by devotees at its feet. A few other smaller shrines are also carved into the rock face along the way, before the stone staircase climbs back to meet the temple courtyard slightly further from the tunnel type entrance of this secretive area.