Keerimalai Springs & Maviddapuram
Naguleshwaram (on the left as it was, and on the right, as it is today, after the armed conflict) was one of the celebrated ancient five Shiva Sthalams known to have existed even before the Vijayan era. It was situated on the northern seacoast of the Jaffna Peninsula, about three kilometres west of Kankesanturai. The ancient temple is now no more, only a rocky cave can now be seen at the site, about a kilometre east of Keerimalai. However, the modern Shivan Kovil at Keerimalai, known as Naguleshwaram, perpetuates the ancient name.
Nagula Munivar
Keerimalai is a well-known bathing ghat. Keeri means "Mongoose" and malai is a "hill"; hence literally, "The Mongoose Hill". Tradition has it that once a Munivar spent his days performing tapas in a cave in these rocky hills and having ablutionary baths in the waters of the springs.
Due to his severe austerities, he gradually shrank physically, so much so that he became referred to as Nagula Munivar (Nagula = a mongoose in Sanskrit).
Eventually the rock also got the name of Nagula Giri (Giri =rock in Sanskrit) The location became a sacred sthalam with the name of Naguleshwaram. Thereafter, according to tradition and history, several afflicted persons sought cure here, by having curative baths in the spring waters of Nagula Giri (Sanskrit) or Keeri Malai (Tamil).
Maviddapuram and Kovil Kadavai
Maviddapuram is situated about a mile south of Kankesanturai. Kovil Kadavai was the original name of the Maviddapuram region; it forms with Naguleshwaram (Keerimalai) and Kasathurai (Kankesanturai), a celebrated triangular region of ancient fame.
Marutha PiravikaValli
According to tradition thither came Chola Princess Marutha Piravika Valli, daughter of Thissai Ukkira Cholan.
She was afflicted with a congenital disease, which affected her facial appearance. All medical treatment having failed she took to pilgrimage to sacred sthalams. Sage Shanthi Linga Munivar, pitying her plight advised her to proceed to Keerimalai, near Kovil Kadavai, where the Lord of Naguleshwaram was presiding and to perform daily theertham baths in the sacred fresh water spring there.
Marutha Piravika.Valli at Kovil Kadavai
She arrived at Kovil Kadavai with her retinue of escorts and maids in attendance and took up residence in proximity to the theertha sthalam, at a locality, which even today is referred to as Kumarathi Pallam. Her daily obeisance and the curative value of the medicinal waters of the fresh water spring gradually helped her to rid of the facial horse-like affliction.
Her Resolve
In her daily journeys to the theertha sthalam, she noticed an old man by the name of Sadaiyanar venerating with daily pu jas a silver Vel. the emblem of God Skanda Kumaran, placed in a cove on a mango tree. she made a vow then. she felt the divine urge to build a proper temple for housing the deity and informed her father of her resolve. Very soon sthapathy architects and craftsmen arrived from Chola Nadu and erected a magnificent Kandaswamy Temple.
In due course, Maruthapiravika Valli married Ukkira Singan, a Kalinga King (8th century) of Kathiramalai (Kanterodai) Jaffna. who had asked for her hand.
New place Names
A Skanda Vigrakam "Kankeyan" was brought from India and landed at Kasaturai (consequently the place assumed today's name of Kankesanturai). it was installed with proper Kumba Abishekam ceremonies on ani-uthiram day in the ninth century.
Priests, who came from India, Iooked after the affairs of the temple and maintained it to a high standard. The name of the place was also changed from Kovil Kadavai to Maviddapuram.
Shri S. Arumugam
Shruthi Laya Shangham gratefully acknowledges Shri Arumugam's contribution in compiling the history of the five Shiva Sthalams of ancient Ceylon.
Shri S. Arumugam was born in Nallur, Jaffna. He obtained a Science Degree from the University College, Ceylon in 1928 and then proceeded to Kings College, London, UK, where he obtained a Degree in Civil Engineering in 1931. After graduating, he worked for the Manchester City water supply works, and then returned to Sri Lanka in 1933 where he joined the Irrigation Department and finally retired as Deputy Director in 1965.
His work in the Irrigation Department required him to travel widely in Sri Lanka, and this gave him the opportunity to study about the ancient Hindu temples in all parts of the country. He has also studied Hindu temples in India during his several visits. Apart from his technical publications (he was President of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka) his published works connected with temples include "Some Ancient Hindu Temples of Sri Lanka (1980), "The Lord of Thiruketheeshwaram"(1981), "Thiru Koneshwaram" (1990), "Stone Scupitures in Colombo Hindu Temple" (1990) etc.
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