Ancient Shiva Temple at Thiruketheeswaram

The ancient Shiva Temple at Mannar dates back to the Ravana era:

Prof. Pon SAKTHIVEL

HISTORY: Since early medieval days it has been a place of pilgrimage renowned for its sacred images of Shiva as Thirukketheeswarar and Gowri Ambal of deep and lasting veneration.

Long before the arrival of Vijaya, there was in Lanka five recognised Iswaram of Shiva, which claimed and received adoration of all India.

These were Thiruketheeswaram near Mahalitha, Mannar, Munneswaran at Chilaw dominating Salawatte and the Pearl fishery, Tondeswaran at Galle, Thirukoneswaran at Trincomalee and Nakuleswaran near Kirimalai, said the celebrated historian Dr. Paul E. Peries in the Journal Asiatic Society Vol. XXVI.

We see that the temple of Thiruketheeswaram was already there when Vijaya landed in Sri Lanka. It is an ancient temple on the bank of the Balavi Therththan at Manthai, Mannar.

Tradition has it that Kethu Bagawan worshipped here and was blessed with the vision of Lord Paraneshwara and that Mayarn, the Father-in-Law of Ravana of Lanka, built a temple on this sacred spot installing a Shiva Lingam in the sanctum sanctorum.

Tradition has also linked sage Agaistiar with both the Thiruketheeswaram and Koneswaram temples.

C. S. Navaratnam quoting Dakshana Kailasa Manmiam says that sage Agaistiar proceeded from Vetharaniam in South India to Shiva temple at Tirukarasai on the bank of the Mahaveli Ganga first then to Koneswaran; from there he went to Maha Tuvaddapuri to worship Lord Ketheeswarar and finally settled down on the Podiya Hills.

Sage Tuvadda, a master architect who had worshipped Thiruketheeswaram built the City of Maha Tuvaddapuri at the behest enshrining the temple within its boundaries. This Maha Tuwaddapuram evolved over the millennia into Maathuwadam and subsequently Maothoddam.

These Saints through their immortal hymns have linked us with the past, painting a wonderful picture of the Thiruketheeswaram temple and its setting Saint Sambanethar.

There are 11 verses and in each of the verses we see a distinct pattern where the Lord Thiruketheeswararth is first eulogised, next the shrine and its surroundings and lastly the blessing the devotee receives in worshipping at this shrine.

Mathoddan or Manthai as it is also known Thamivabarani river also reached up to Palavi, was a historical settlement where international trade flourished.

This was apparently the centre where the Chinese from the East met the Babylonians and the Egyptians of the West, exchanging their Jars of oil and glassware respectively.

The word Maantai itself must have evolved out of the word “Maha Santhai” the great market saint Sundarar in hymn says that the Port of Mathoddam on the banks of the Palavi Therththam was a busy entrepot in the beautiful city of Mathoddam surrounded by the sea abounding with boats.

Moreover, these songs clearly tell us that the temple with its surroundings was the hub in the life of the people of the area.

At this time around the seventh and eighth centuries, the temple must have been a very imposing structure belonging to the Pallava period - its art and culture and was perhaps renovated and rebuilt by a Vanniyar from the Vanni district of Sri Lanka.

During the reign of the great Chola king Rajaraja I in the eleventh century the buildings were greatly improved and a magnificent complex with several gopurams were erected. It was also named Rajaraja Iswaram.

In the thirteenth century, Sundara Pandyan I according to a Chidambaram inscription seems to have rebuilt the temple in Pandyan style. The ruins in the area remind us that perhaps this was a big township with its majestic temple and flourishing sea port.

In 1599 the Portuguese destroyed the temple completely and with this destruction the whole area gradually became part of the jungle. It was in 1903 that Sri La Sri Arumuga Navalar consecrated a small temple and restored work.

In 1921, the central shrine was constructed and later the Thiruketheeswaram Restoration Society was formed under the chairmanship of Sri Kandiah Viathianathan. The society rebuilt the temple under his careful supervision.

Again due to the ethnic conflict, the temple was desecrated. Now under the chairmanship of R. Namasivayam supported by a dedicated band of works, a Restoration Society has been revitalised and the devotion began on the hallowed day of Aani Uththaram - July 6, 2003.

The construction of the temple resembles the shape of the human body reminding man that the body is the temple of God. The various sections in the temple correspond to parts of the body and to the Yoga centres of consciousness in human body.

The plan of the temple proper resembles a man lying on his back with the head on the west and the feet pointing east. The main parts in a temple are the -

Moolathanam: (Sanctum sanctorum) or the Garba Graha where the oola murti is installed.

Artha Mandapam: Where the priests sland while performing the puja.

Maha Mandapam: Where the utsava Murthi or placed (Utsava Murthis are the images that are taken out in procession during special ceremonies).

Staapana Mandapam: Where the sacrificial or homa kundam is placed.

Stampa Mandapam: Where the vahana (vehicle of the moola murti) Bali Peedam (sacrifical alter) and the Kodi slampam (flag staff) are placed.

Sabha Mandapam: Or Vasantha Mandapam are found in the bigger temples where religious and musical programmes are held.

Raja Gopuram: Is the tower at the gate representing the feet and this leads into the Court Yards the Prakarams along which the devotee enters the Mandapams.