Munneshvaram Kovil - one of Sri Lanka's 4 major Shiva temples
Munneshvaram (also spelled Munnesvaram or Munneshwaram) is one of the most important traditional places of Hindu worship in Sri Lanka. The name refers to both the main shrine deicated to Shiva and the entire sacred town, which is the eastern suburb of Chilaw (known as Halavata in Sinhala).
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Munneshvaram is situated around 50 km (31 miles) north of Negombo and and 56 km (35 miles) south of Puttalam, in only 3.3 km (2 miles) distance from the beach of Chilaw. Munnesvaram belongs to the Puttalam District of the North West Province of Sri Lanka.
Chilaw near Munnesvaram is en route, when taking the coastal road from Negombo or Colombo to Anuradhapura or Trincomalee or Jaffna. Several Hindu guests undertake a detour to Munesvaram when traveling to Kandy. |
The temple town of Munnesvaram comprises several Hindu temples and also a Buddhist Vihara. The most important place of worship is the Munneshvaram Kovil, which is one of Sri Lanka’s five major temples (Pancha Isvarams) dedicated to Lord Shiva. Hindu devotees, but also Sinhalese Buddhists from across the region flock to the temple to seek blessings and participate in various religious ceremonies.
Munneshvaram is a sacred place for followers of Shiva and Vishnu alike, because it’s closely linked to the Ramayana, one of the great Indian epics. Legend has it thatVishnu’s Avatar Lord Rama, on his return from Lanka, established this temple to seek forgiveness from Siva for the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahmin.
Though the history of the Munnesvam dates back to ancient times, the current structure is modern, as in the case of almost all Hindu temples on the island, since they were destroyed by Portuguese soldiers due to Christian fanatism.
Munneshvaram is a sacred place for followers of Shiva and Vishnu alike, because it’s closely linked to the Ramayana, one of the great Indian epics. Legend has it thatVishnu’s Avatar Lord Rama, on his return from Lanka, established this temple to seek forgiveness from Siva for the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahmin.
Though the history of the Munnesvam dates back to ancient times, the current structure is modern, as in the case of almost all Hindu temples on the island, since they were destroyed by Portuguese soldiers due to Christian fanatism.
for historical background information about Munnesvaram please click here...
Tamils believe that the legendary Chola King Kullakotan built a large temple at this spot, where he had been cured from an otherwise incurable skin disease, after taking a bath in the ruined temple’s holy pond. He is alsocredited with creating the community of temple caretakers. Historically, Munneshvaram was an important place of Shiva worship already during the Anuradhapura period or the subsequent period of Chola occupation. Initially a guardian shrine of the villagers, it transformed into a major Siva temple under royal patronage. The temple issued coins in the 11th century. The las long-reigning king of the entire island, Parakramabahu VI of Kotte, reestablished older grants to the temple by endowing the lands in the temple district which formerly belonged to the priests and provided food and incence for the daily offerings and grants to the priests free of taxes.
The Shiva temple of Munneshvaram was destroyed by the Portuguese two times. After the first destruction in 1578, the temple was restored by their arch enemy, King Rajasingha I of Sitawaka, who was one of the very few kings in Sri Lanka’s history that preferred Hinduism over Buddhism. The Portuguese completely demolished the temple again in 1600. Afterwards, only a small shrine was built on the spot by local villagers for their ceremonies, until the Kandyan king Kirti Sri Rajasingha inititated a reconstruction on a large scale, the completion of which was celebrated with a Kumbhabhiseka ceremony in 1753. Kirti Sri Rajasingha is mainly known as the great king who revived the Buddhist tradition on the island, but he himself was of Hindu origin. Until the 1870s, the priests of the nearby Bhadrakali temple ran the Munneshvaram Shiva temple, too.
During the British colonial period a revivalist Hindu movement restored or enlarged several Hindu Kovils particularly in the north of the island. in this context, large renovations were begun by Kumaraswamy Kurukkal in 1875. The current Brahmin kurukkals, who own the temple, are his descendents. Kumaraswamy Kurukkal was recognized as chief trustee of the temple by the British Governor of Ceylon. He was acting on behalf of Munneshvaram villagers, seeking to protect temple land titles during a plantation economy land-grab. He funded renovations personally and through public subscription from wealthy Tamil Saivites in Colombo. Artisans from India built the Pillaiyar temple just to the south of the entrance gate of the Shiva temple. Furthermore, pilgrim rest houses were established, funded by public subscription and donations from the Indian Tamil trader community. From 1885, the festival expanded, and by the 1940s, managing trusts of pilgrim rest houses also became festival sponsors. Further renovations on private initiatives of Tamils took place in 1919 and 1963, both of them celebrated Kumbhabhiseka ceremonies.
The Shiva temple of Munneshvaram was destroyed by the Portuguese two times. After the first destruction in 1578, the temple was restored by their arch enemy, King Rajasingha I of Sitawaka, who was one of the very few kings in Sri Lanka’s history that preferred Hinduism over Buddhism. The Portuguese completely demolished the temple again in 1600. Afterwards, only a small shrine was built on the spot by local villagers for their ceremonies, until the Kandyan king Kirti Sri Rajasingha inititated a reconstruction on a large scale, the completion of which was celebrated with a Kumbhabhiseka ceremony in 1753. Kirti Sri Rajasingha is mainly known as the great king who revived the Buddhist tradition on the island, but he himself was of Hindu origin. Until the 1870s, the priests of the nearby Bhadrakali temple ran the Munneshvaram Shiva temple, too.
During the British colonial period a revivalist Hindu movement restored or enlarged several Hindu Kovils particularly in the north of the island. in this context, large renovations were begun by Kumaraswamy Kurukkal in 1875. The current Brahmin kurukkals, who own the temple, are his descendents. Kumaraswamy Kurukkal was recognized as chief trustee of the temple by the British Governor of Ceylon. He was acting on behalf of Munneshvaram villagers, seeking to protect temple land titles during a plantation economy land-grab. He funded renovations personally and through public subscription from wealthy Tamil Saivites in Colombo. Artisans from India built the Pillaiyar temple just to the south of the entrance gate of the Shiva temple. Furthermore, pilgrim rest houses were established, funded by public subscription and donations from the Indian Tamil trader community. From 1885, the festival expanded, and by the 1940s, managing trusts of pilgrim rest houses also became festival sponsors. Further renovations on private initiatives of Tamils took place in 1919 and 1963, both of them celebrated Kumbhabhiseka ceremonies.
The Shiva temple of Munneshvaram showcases impressive Dravidian architecture with large gopurams (entrance towers) orned with sculpted figures and symbolic motifsin placed in the cardinal directions and a court with a roofed circumambulatory surrounding the main shrine in the centre, which houses a Lingam.
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The temple town of Munneshvaram comprises five temples, including a Buddhist one. Besides the main temple dedicated to Shiva, there are further temples dedicated to Ganesha, Aiyanar, Kali, and the Buddha. Particularly the Goddess Kali gained popularity among Sinhalese Buddhists. Kali is believed to have set foot on Sri Lanka’s soil in Munneshvaram. She transformed from a frightening and often malevolent demigod to a revered mother goddess. The majority of post-19th-century devotees attending rituals in Munneshvaram are Sinhalese Buddhists. However, the administration remains with Hindu Tamil families. The unique Munneswaram festival, one of the longest in Sri Lanka attracts both Hindu and Buddhist attendees. Other key festivals in Munneshvaram include Navarathri and Sivarathri.
