Ukanthamalai Murugan Kovil (also known as Ukanthai Murugan Kovil, Okanda Devalaya) ( ta, உகந்தமலை முருகன் ஆலயம், si, ඕකන්ද කතරගම දේවාලය) is the well known ancient

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

temple situated in the

Okanda Okanda ( ta, உகந்தை) is a small hamlet in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka within the Ampara District. It is known for its shrine dedicated to Hindu deity Murugan known as Ukanthamalai Murugan Kovil and for surfing. Pilgrims from the East ...

, Ampara District of Eastern Sri Lanka, about 145 km south of

Batticaloa Batticaloa ( ta, மட்டக்களப்பு, ''Maṭṭakkaḷappu''; si, මඩකලපුව, ''Maḍakalapuwa'') is a major city in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, and its former capital. It is the administrative capital of the B ...

town. This alluring temple dedicated to Lord Murugan in the heart of Kumana forest is a main stand for the devotees performing pilgrimage to

Katirkamam Kataragama temple (, ) in Kataragama, Sri Lanka, is a temple complex dedicated to Buddhist guardian deity Kataragama deviyo and Hindu War God Murugan. It is one of the few religious sites in Sri Lanka that is venerated by the Buddhists, Hindus, ...

through dense jungle. In places like Pânama and Kumana, which are close to Ukantai, Tamils and Sinhalese lived in harmony even down to the present day.

Folklore

Since Lord Murugan is always linked with mountains, Some

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nati ...

folklore tell that ukanthamalai got its name as it is the most "ukantha" (உகந்த, litt. "congenial") place of Lord Murugan. According to another folklore this place is believed to be the location where

Skanda Kumara Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha ...

landed on the shore of Okanda with

Valli Vaḷḷi ( ta, வள்ளி) ("Creeper, Sweet potato plant") is a Hindu goddess, and the second consort of the deity Murugan. An incarnation of the goddess Sundaravalli, daughter of Vishnu, Valli is born on earth as the daughter of a chiefta ...

Amma in a golden boat. The boat is said to be turned into a rock known as the "Ran Oru Gala" which still visible on the Okanda beach.

History

So many folklores bring the antiquity of Ukanthai Temple to

. It attracted the Katirkamam pilgrims from immemorial time. The top of the hillock has been cited as one of the places where a divine katir /

Vel Vel ( ta, வேல், lit=Vēl) is a divine javelin or spear associated with Murugan, the Hindu god of war. Significance According to Shaiva tradition, the goddess Parvati presented the Vel to her son Murugan, as an embodiment of her shakti, ...

from Lord Skanda struck. Veddas preserved the sanctity of the place with a simple shrine of stick and ola leaves. According to another myth, the third spear from the hand of Lord Murugan reached here and came to rest on this hilltop, making it a favorite site for Murukan worship. There is yet a third myth according to which, Murugan and his sweet heart Valli arrived in stone boats (which still rest on the beach) to reside on top of the Ukanthai Malai. There was a small hut made with loose stones for the "Vel" at the top of the hill from very long time. British diaries confirm that this was a notable Hindu shrine even in the 1800s. It is believed that, a Hindu sage named "Giri", from North India looked after this temple. A famous merchant from

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...

"Markkandu Mudaliyar" lived in

erected a small building for housing the Vel in 1885. "Muthiyanse Bandara Mahataya" from Panamai was appointed by him, as the "Vannakkar" (litt. Caretaker) of the temple along with the priest "Kaliyappan", from Kolavil village. A pilgrims' rest was also built by Markkandu Mudaliyar which was burnt many years ago.http://okanda.org/mirror.editor.htm Temple faced to its first "Kumbapishegam" (Baptism of

temple) in 1908 followed by two other Kumbapishegams in 2002 and 2014.

Temple structure

The main shrine of Lord Murugan is situated in the bottom of the Ukanthai with a majestic sanctum pagoda surrounded by small chapels dedicated to

Pillaiyar Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu de ...

, Naga Tambiran,

Navagraha Navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu astrology. The term is derived from ''nava'' ( sa, नव "nine") and ''graha'' ( sa, ग्रह "planet, seizing, laying hold of, ...

m and Vairavar. The golden spear of Lord Murugan standing in the sanctum cannot be ever seen as the sanctum is always covered with a screen. Ukanthai is divided into two hillocks called as Swamimalai and Vallimalai since they have two shrines for

swami and Valli Amman at top of them respectively. Naturally formed seven excavations are in these two hillocks and the "Saravana poigai" - the natural spring in front of Valli Amman Kovil is esteemed by the devotees and they believe that this spring was formed by the "Vel" of Lord Murugan. In the bottom of the Swamimalai, there is another chapel for Pillaiyar. Okanda Beach is about 100 m southwards of the main shrine of Murugan and there was a boat - like rock is situated in the shore which i.s already mentioned above. Another hillock near the beach called as "Kallu vacha Malai" (கல்லு வச்ச மலை - litt. "Stone placing mountain") is another place of worship where devotees place a "kallu" - stone with prayers for fulfilling their wishes. the naturally formed foot - like excavations are believed to belongs to Murugan and Valli.

Annual Festival

Annual Festival of Ukanthai is simultaneously occurring with Katirkamam festival falling on mid July - August Full moon day. " Teerta

Utsavam Utsava (), also referred to as Utsavam, generally means a festival or celebration or any joyous occasion, mostly associated with Hinduism. It also carries the meaning of delight, merriment and pleasure. The Sanskrit word ''utsava'' comes from t ...

" (the final Sea bathing cult of festival) is carried out during Tiruvonam star of Hindu panchangam.

References

External links