Ancient Temples of Eelam

Ancient Sivan Temples in Sri Lanka

Elaththu Sivan Temples can be divided into 3 categories

(1) Ancient Sivan Temples
(2) Sivan Temples belonging to middle period
(3) Present and future Sivan Temples

Among these, Thirukketheeswaram, Thirukkoneshwaram, Naguleshwaram, Muneswaram, Jambukeswaram and Manavari belongs to the ancient category.

In A.C 3rd A Chetty devotee named Veeravarayan built Santhira Sekarar Kovil at Chettikulam – This belongs to the category. The history of this temple is not properly given in any books or journals.

In ancient Anurathapuram Siva worship prevailed. There are proves for this Saivaists were of full knowledge from ancient time, about planets, stars and their connect to Mankind Ancient Sri Lanka and processed the knowledge about it. Dr. Pravithana says that parents had the habit of naming their children according to the star on which they were born. According to this it is said the name Anurathapuram came because of the name of the Nadchathiram Anushan. Thevanambiya Theesan found out that there had been an ancient Sivan Kovil at Anurathapuram belonging to a Bharamin. The historical researches of 1893 also says so there was found two Sivalingham made out of Kovil Temples Shiva Siva

Karunkal which belonged to the ancient Sivan Kovil.

The following Shivan Temples belonged to the middle period says history. They are Odduddan Thanthoreswarar Kokkddicholai Thanthoreswarar, Polannaruvai, Sivan Kovil, Pathaviyar Sivan Kovil, Panankamam Sivan Kovil and other more Sivan Kovils at Kovilkadu, Katsilamadu near Vavenikkulam Asuvariki |Nallur Saddanathar Sivan Kovil – There are all considered to belong to the middle period of Anurathapuram.

It is that the middle period temples all wee built during the region of Chola Pandiyar region. Which were heather too found to be thick forests, there lived Bharamins process are found to say so some of the proves are Palamoddai cut stone and Kanthalai Katsasanam. It is believed that many more Shivan temples may be found in these places, if archeological. Sure the above mentioned Sivan temples belongs to the middle period of Anurathapura from the time of Chola, Pandiayas up to Vanni Naddu Kings and Jaffna Kings, the Sivan temples are considered to the middle period of Anurathapura.

After the fall of Jaffna Kings and Vanni Nadu Kings during the later periods, temples of Shiva were built by rich villages and for example the following temples can be mentioned. Vannai Vaitheewaran Kovil, Karainagar Shivan Kovil, Thembela Kamama Sivan Kovil, Colombo Kochchikadai Ponampala Vaneshwarar Kovil etc. There can be considered to belong to present period.