Naguleswaram Temple, Keerimalai – History

Naguleswaram Temple, Keerimalai – History

Construction:

Naguleswaram temple of Kankesanthurai was restored during the reign of Prince Vijaya of Vanga (543-505 BCE). One of the oldest shrines of the region, it is the northernmost shrine on the island of the Pancha Ishwarams of Lord Siva, venerated by Hindus across the world from classical antiquity. Its adjacent water tank, the Keerimalai Springs attribution to curative properties has been related in irrigation scientific studies to its high mineral content, sourced from underground.

Pandyan-Cholan princess Maruthapura Veeravalli built the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple two miles from Naguleswaram in 785 CE after she was cured of her facial disfigurement at the Keerimalai springs, and later married the King Ukkira Singhan, a scion of Vijaya's dynasty, at the temple's springs. Eliandurvan, one of the four brothers of the Mukkuvar king Vedi Arasan ruled at Keerimalai.

Literary Mention:

Dakshina Kailasa Puranam, a Sanskrit treatise on another Pancha Ishwarams, Koneswaram of Trincomalee, recalls events in the Naguleswaram shrine. The Suta Samhita of the Skanda Puranam written during 6^th Century CE mentions Naguleswaram as among ancient sites of pilgrimage. Saint Arunagirinathar of Tamil Nadu had sung his 15^th Century Thirupugazh Hymns on Lord Murugan of this Temple. Arab navigators spread the wonders of the temple's springs to the West, and James Emerson Tennent, citing Lane's Arabian Nights elaborates on Keerimalai as the site of the shipwreck of Sinbad the Sailor during his sixth voyage, where he collected pearls, hyacinth and ambergris. Arjuna of the Mahabharata fell in love with the Nagakanya (daughter of the Naga king) Ulupi, who bore them a son, Iravan.

Destruction by the Portuguese:

The temple was largely destroyed by Jesuit missionaries following the Portuguese conquest of the Jaffna kingdom. Following destruction by the Portuguese in 1621, Naguleswaram's Brahmin priests hid the main icons in a well before fleeing, which were since recovered.

Reconstruction:

After a gap of almost 400 years in 1894 ACE, local Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu people of under the urging of Hindu reformer Arumuga Navalar came together and built the present temple. However, the temple was destroyed by fire in 1918 and had to be rebuilt.

Occupation and Bombing by Sri Lankan Army:

In 1983, the temple was occupied by the Sri Lankan army and devotees and priests were unable to visit the premises without special permits. At 16:00 on 16 October 1990, the Sri Lankan Air Force dropped three bombs at Naguleswaram. The first fell on the front of the temple destroying two temple chariots and other buildings, the second bomb fell on the southern courtyard of the temple destroying the premises of the priest. Two days later, on 18 October at 14:30, the Sri Lankan Air Force returned and bombed the temple during the Kedara Gowri fast when thousands of devotees were present, killing 180 Tamil civilians, including 5 infants.

Temple buildings, its ancient gopuram, the library housing palm leaf manuscripts and statues incurred substantial damage. The bombing was carried out despite the presence of temple identification flags at four corners of the temple, as instructed by the International Committee of the Red Cross. No access to the area was granted to devotees until 1997, when the Chief Priest was allowed to visit with an Additional GA of the Sri Lankan government. The temple was found to be ruins with the sacred icons vandalized or missing. The temple was not restored.

Mahakumbhabhishekam in 2012:

On Monday 6 February 2012, a major reconstruction of the temple was completed under the authority of the chief priest, Sivasri Naguleswara Kurukkal, and Naguleswaram's Mahakumbhabhishekam took place. It was a monumental event with thousands of devotees who came to pray and receive blessings.