Trincomalee is of significance for Sri Lanka’s history because of its natural harbour. Today, it’s the capital of the Eastern Province. However, among Hindus from Sri Lanka and India, Trincomalee is most famous for ist Thirukoneshwaram Kovil, one of the major Shiva temples of Sri Lanka and South India. Destroyed by the Portuguese, the temple was newly built under British colonial rule. It attracts Hindu pilgrims from all over the world. Although the architecture is modern, the temple is also an imortant destination for heritage tourists, because it is spectacularly located on a kind of cape called Swami rock, a narrow promontory rising high above the sea. |