A stone inscription in the temple of the 17th century says that in 1580 BC the temple started its history. Although this is unconfirmed, the reality remains that the ancient cave shrine lying beneath the mountain pinnacle points to a history well ahead of the Sangam Period. On another note, legend says King Ravana was a devout worshipper of Koneswaram along with his mom. Ravana is also expected to have established Kanniya’s hot springs for his mother’s last rites as part of Thiru Koneswaram. King Ravana was a legendary Sri Lankan emperor thought to have lived more than five thousand years ago.
According to the Portuguese historian Diogo de Couto of the 16th century, Koneswaram was one of the five Eeshwarams who dominated the ancestral landscape of Sri Lanka; along with Ketheeshwaram, Munneshwaram, Naguleshwaram and the now destroyed Tenavaram.
However, Koneswaram’s real rise happened in 205 BC when Chola king Elara Manu Needhi Cholan restored the temple creating a temple complex mirroring the Dravidian temple towns. The town was constructed with the Thiru Koneswaram temple in its center as a enormous temple city.
At the top of the rocky promontory, Koneswaram’s primary temple was developed with difficult black granite (Karungal), which was skillfully sculpted by Indian temple architects and sculptors with classical temple base relief sculptures. The Thousand-Pillared hall used to host religious and cultural activities was one of its best characteristics.
Thiru Koneshwaram – Today
A lengthy road that once formed part of the initial pilgrimage route reaches the temple. The entrance has an enormous ancient arch from the Portuguese’s moment. While different temples along the highway once existed, now the sides are covered in elevated walls and barbed wire by the Sri Lanka Army.
The awe-inspiring sight of the ancient Svayambu Lingam, housed in the primary shrine room or Moolasthanam (translation: center point) is facing the tourists when they enter. Thirukoneswaram’s moolasthanam is slightly unique in that it has no shrine but two unlike most moolasthanams.
Thiru Koneswaram is visited by many devotees and believed to be a blessed place for people who seek refuge in the deities who are supposed to be in the temple.
