Ati Konanayakar

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Ati Konanayakar
Tampalakamam
CountrySri Lanka
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture
Completed1630-1689

Ati Konanayakar or Aathi Koneswaram (

Koneswaram temple (Temple of Thousand Pillars) that was destroyed by Portuguese colonials in 1622.[1]

Of the original temple, only the main

Tevayani
.

The temple celebrates daily services stipulated according to

Sri Lankan civil war
, in the 1980s and 90's the village was depopulated and the temple abandoned. Since 2004 residents of the village have returned and the temple has been restored.

History

Ati Konanayakar temple is situated in the village of Tampalakamam that was part of the medieval semi-independent feudal division called

Chola period (1070-1279 CE) and the consort to that of early Chola period based on the composition of metals and styles.[2] (See picture here and here.) The temple's name and the separate shrine to Ati Konanaykar allude to the tradition that this temple was built to accommodate the idols that were saved from the destruction of the Temple of Thousand Pillars in Tricomalee by the Portuguese colonial officers.[3][4]

According to

Rajasingha II (1630–1689) after the loss of Koneswaram temple in the Tricomalee town.[3][5] The idols that were saved from the destroyed temple were moved from place to place and eventually located in a secure territory under the Kandyan jurisdiction. According to the chronicle Vara rasasinkam identified with Rajasinghe II by historians such as S. Pathmanathan, also provided for the upkeep of the temple by allocating land to the temple in perpetuity and revenue distribution from local taxes. Another Tamil text of interest is Konesar Kalvettu. It is written from a point of view legitimizing the claims of the new temple, that is Ati Konnanayakar, to the traditions, revenue and services rendered to the destroyed Koneswaram temple. Authorship of the text is attributed to one Kavirasa Varotayan and it was written after the new temple was established.[6]

According to the Tirukonasal Puranam, Rajasingha II directed the local feudal lords to maintain the temple and its administration. These traditions were maintained by the local

Vanniar chiefs of the Tampalakamam Pattu division during the ensuing period. The prevalence of this tradition as a successor temple to the original temple destroyed by the Portuguese was recorded by the Dutch colonial governor of Trincomalee, Van Senden in 1786. He recorded the physical status of the idols that were from the original Koneswaram temple.[7] Residents of Tampalakamam Patuu made requests to the Dutch colonials to follow the traditions of allocating a portion of the revenue generated from paddy cultivation of rice to the maintenance of the temple. A similar request was also made to the British colonial governor Alexander Johnston by the Vanniyar lords of the Tampalakamam Pattu, after the British had captured the island in 1815.[8]

As a substitute temple to the original Koneswaram temple that was destroyed, tradition has endowed Ati Konanayakar with all privileges that was enjoyed by the previous temple. This includes the association of Hindus from various parts of Trincomalee district its festival organization to the assimilation of all local non-Saiva cults within the temple premises. During the Kandyan and later Dutch colonial period the Tamapalakamam temple also enjoyed revenue from the land that was given to it via royal endowments. During the British colonial period the temple came under the control of private ownership. The temple's private trustees were removed and in 1945 it became the responsibility of locally elected board. The Gopuram or gate tower was added in 1953. It is one of the largest towers in the region and is of five stories high.[1]

Temple layout

The temple has as its main components,

mantapam, such as arta mantapam, maka mantapam, snapana mantapam and stampa mantapam where the flag of the temple is erected. The entrance tower or iracakopuram is of recent addition and was added in 1953. the smaller structures have been renovated or reconstructed from time to time since the inception of the temple in the 17th century. The temple, which is of stone construction is surrounded by a circumambulatory enclosed by a brick wall beyond which there is an outer street.[9]

Rituals and festivals

The rituals and daily worship at the temple is conducted according to Hindu religious scripts called Makutakamam. Worship is conducted three times daily and on special occasions such as

Muttur.[10]

The temple also assimilates the cult of Pattini, a local mother goddess who is also popular amongst the majority Sinhalese population of the rest of the island nation as well.[11] The idol of Pattini is kept at Tampalakamam temple and taken to its place of veneration in Palampottaru and devotees from Trincomalee town also come in procession to the place of worship at the same time. After the ceremonies the idol is returned to the Ati Konanaykar temple premises.[12]

Another important festival is the one associated with Kathirkamaswami. He is the lord of the temple located in

kavadi.[10]

Another unique festival associated with the temple is called Tirukulattu velvi which is sacrificial offering made to a man made irrigation reservoir known as a water tank. According to tradition, this festival was organized during legendary king

Kantalai Tank. During the festival local agriculturalists would congregate at the Kantalai Tank and offer boiled rice along with areca nut and betel leaves to the idols.[13]

Abandonment and restoration

As part of the Sri Lankan civil war, the Tampalakamam village was severely affected leading to the abandonment of the village and the temple.

Tamilnet, by 2003 the village and the region was resettled with returning refugees.[16][17]

References

  1. ^ a b Pathmanathan 2006, pp. 112–113
  2. ^ a b Pathmanathan 2006, p. 108
  3. ^ a b Pathmanathan 2006, p. 102
  4. ^ Ramachandran 2004, pp. 86–88
  5. ^ Ramachandran 2004, p. 88
  6. ^ Pathmanathan 2006, p. 55
  7. ^ Pathmanathan 2006, p. 103
  8. ^ Pathmanathan 2006, p. 105
  9. ^ Pathmanathan 2006, p. 101
  10. ^ a b Pathmanathan 2006, p. 109
  11. ^ Obeyesekera 1984, p. 3
  12. ^ Pathmanathan 2006, p. 111
  13. ^ Pathmanathan 2006, p. 110
  14. ^ Amnesty International (1998). "Sri Lanka: Government forces kill eight civilians - justice needed now". Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  15. ^ University Teachers for Human Rights 1993, p. 54
  16. Tamilnet (2003). "TRO office opened at Thampalakamam"
    . Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  17. Tamilnet (2004). "Danish Refugee Council assists resettled Swamimalai villagers"
    . Retrieved 3 May 2010.

Bibliography

External links

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