Gowri Amman (Hindu Temples)'s video: Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna Velayutha

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna நல்லூர் கந்தசுவாமி கோவில் யாழ்ப்பாணம் Velayudaa Vinai Theerpava - வேலாயுதா வினை தீர்ப்பவா Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil In the hot arid lands of Nallur, in Jaffna, rises the majestic Hindu temple for Skanda/ Murugan – the god of love, war and beauty. It has reigned over the land for centuries, attracting devotees from various walks of life. The temple itself embodies a kind of peace that can only be felt in the most divine of places. History The temple was originally founded in 948 AD. However, it reached fame when it was rebuilt in the 13th century by Puvaneka Vaahu, a minister of the Jaffna King Kalinga Maha. The Nallur Kandaswamy Temple was built for a third time by Senpaha Perumal (a.k.a Sapumal Kumaraya) who was the adopted son of the Kotte king. Nallur served as the capital of the kings of Jaffna, and was a highly defensive fort and city. There were courtly buildings, the palaces, businesses and much more. The third built temple was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1624 AD; and many churches built over the ruins. The location of the original temple is now covered by the St James Church, Nallur. Part of the original Sivalingam from the temple remained in the vicarage, but was destroyed during the recent civil war. Now only the platform where it was mounted remains. The current temple was built in 1734 AD by Don Juan. However, the ‘Golden Era’ of the Nallur Temple began in the latter 1890s with the takeover of the temple administration by Arumuga Maapaana Mudaliyar; who started renovating it to bring it back to its earlier magnificence. Guidelines on visiting the Nallur Kandaswmy Temple. The temple has a large courtyard; don’t forget remove your shoes and wash your feet at the outer well before you enter. You bring items such as flowers, fruits, camphor and such to offer to the shrines. These can be bought from shops opposite the temple; but everything except camphor and incense must be washed outside before offering. Men are not allowed to wear any other garments above waist level within the temple, as has been the Hindu custom from ancient days. Women are encouraged to wear clothing which is non-revealing and below knee length. No photography is allowed within the temple; and mobile phones must be switched off to prevent disturbing other devotees. The tickets for the poojas are sold at a mere Rs 1.00, and have been so for decades. You can buy some tickets and offer them to the priests at the shrines to observe the colorful poojas with the ancient mantras. While worshipping put your palms together and hold it at chest height. Nallur Kandaswamy Temple Festival If you arrived during late August, you will be lucky enough to see the temple’s famous 25-day festival. This famous and colorful festival is viewed by tens of thousands of people from around the world. The special occasions during the festival that are not to be missed are the Manjam, Kailasavahanam, Vellivimanam, Thandayuthepani Utsavam, Sapparam, the most important Ther Thiruvila (chariot festival), Theertham (water cutting festival), and the Thirukalyanam (the holy wedding). However, the entire festival is a complex affair which causes the entire town to enter a festive mood. Another popular event which you may get to see is Thirukkarthikai, which occurs during mid-November. This is also highly attended and has much to view. The Nallur Kandaswamy temple is an important relic of Sri Lanka, which has been praised in many ancient texts from around the world. As such a visit is a must to properly understand the glory of ancient Hindu Temples