Thirukkovil - beaches and a Kataragama shrine
Thirukkovil is a small fishing port in Ampara District at Sri Lanka’s East Coast. It’s situated 30 km north of Pottuvil, half-way to Kalmunai at the coastal road A4. This is the region that was worst affected by the Boxing day tsunami 2004. In Thirukkovil, the tsunami destroyed homes in 500 meters distance from the seashore. Stubs of palm trees the crowns of which were snapped off by the 10 m high tsunami wave can still be seen along the coast. The surviving inhabitants of Thirukkovil were dependent on aid to redevelop the completely devastated town.
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Thirukkovil, also spelt Tirukkovil or Tirukovil or Tirukoil, is a typical Tamil name, it translates to “God’s temple”, the namegiving shrine is dedicated to Murugan, known as Kataragama in Sri Lanka. In general, the Thirukkovil simply refers to Tamil temples, not to a specific one or to a town. “Thiru” however is a prefix of numerous Tamil toponyms in South India and Sri Lanka. It is a glorifying term, similar to the term “Sri”, which is of Sanskrit origin. “Thiru” means “holy”, having many connotations such as “divine”, “wish-fulfilling”, “wealthy”, “highly respected”. I can even be used as title in salutations, like the English “Sir”. The suffix “kovil” is equally common in Tamil areas. It’s simply the Tamil term for temple. Thus, Thirukkuvil also translates to “Holy shrine”.
The most important Hindu temple in the small town of this name is the Sitra Velayuta Swami temple, also transcribed Citra Velayudha Swami Kovil. Murugan is a highly venerated god among all Tamils, he is identified with Skanda, the pan-Indian warrior deity, son of Shiva. In Sri Lanka, he is venerated as Kataragama by Sinhalese and Weddah people, too. The Hindu shrine in Thirukkovil seems to be of Weddah origin. Weddahs, the indiginous people of Sri Lanka, don’t worship idols but uniconic symbols of divine power. In the case of Murugan, the emblem is the spear, which is also associated with this god in Hindu mythology. It’s this spear, Vel, that gave the name to the shrine in Thirukkovil.
Old temples of spear-worship are called Tiruppatai, “patai” meaning “weapon”. In Weddah mythology, Thirukkovil, besides Okanda near Panama and Mandur near Batticaloa, is one of the three or eight places in Batticaloa District where sparks from the spear of stroke the island, when he fought against the Asura demons above the Bay of Bengal and split Mount Vahura. Being one of this spark-born places, Thirukkovil is one of the most sacred sites of the Weddah people.
Earliert remnants within the temple structure are from the 13th century, when the Southindian Pandya dynasty was powerful enough to influence the events in Sri Lanka, too.
Though Thirukkovil is a Hindu and Weddah place of worship, the largest group in the city are Moors, Sri Lankan Muslims.
To the south and north of Thirukkovil, there are long stretches of sandy beaches devoid of tourists. They are situated on spits of land, as there are lagoons to the south and north alike. There is almost no touristic infrastructure in Thirukkovil.
Guesthouses are available at Sangamankanda Point and its nearby lighthouse, Sri Lanka’s easternmost point. The lagoon in the hinterland of the beaches to the south of Thirukkovil is mostly dried out and becomes a big salt pan or small salt flat during the dry season.
The Periya Kalapuwa Lagune to the north of Thirukkovil is always filled with water. On its spit of land, there is the small village of Sinnamuhattuvaram. It’s this village’s coastline where the stereotype palm-beach images above were taken.
The most important Hindu temple in the small town of this name is the Sitra Velayuta Swami temple, also transcribed Citra Velayudha Swami Kovil. Murugan is a highly venerated god among all Tamils, he is identified with Skanda, the pan-Indian warrior deity, son of Shiva. In Sri Lanka, he is venerated as Kataragama by Sinhalese and Weddah people, too. The Hindu shrine in Thirukkovil seems to be of Weddah origin. Weddahs, the indiginous people of Sri Lanka, don’t worship idols but uniconic symbols of divine power. In the case of Murugan, the emblem is the spear, which is also associated with this god in Hindu mythology. It’s this spear, Vel, that gave the name to the shrine in Thirukkovil.
Old temples of spear-worship are called Tiruppatai, “patai” meaning “weapon”. In Weddah mythology, Thirukkovil, besides Okanda near Panama and Mandur near Batticaloa, is one of the three or eight places in Batticaloa District where sparks from the spear of stroke the island, when he fought against the Asura demons above the Bay of Bengal and split Mount Vahura. Being one of this spark-born places, Thirukkovil is one of the most sacred sites of the Weddah people.
Earliert remnants within the temple structure are from the 13th century, when the Southindian Pandya dynasty was powerful enough to influence the events in Sri Lanka, too.
Though Thirukkovil is a Hindu and Weddah place of worship, the largest group in the city are Moors, Sri Lankan Muslims.
To the south and north of Thirukkovil, there are long stretches of sandy beaches devoid of tourists. They are situated on spits of land, as there are lagoons to the south and north alike. There is almost no touristic infrastructure in Thirukkovil.
Guesthouses are available at Sangamankanda Point and its nearby lighthouse, Sri Lanka’s easternmost point. The lagoon in the hinterland of the beaches to the south of Thirukkovil is mostly dried out and becomes a big salt pan or small salt flat during the dry season.
The Periya Kalapuwa Lagune to the north of Thirukkovil is always filled with water. On its spit of land, there is the small village of Sinnamuhattuvaram. It’s this village’s coastline where the stereotype palm-beach images above were taken.
