Sri Lanka was referred to as the land of God Shiva as depicted by the Indian epic of Ramayana and was believed to be blessed with 5 shrines of Shiva and mythology says that three of them were sanctified by Lord Rama himself. Munneswaram Kovil is one of the five ‘pancheswarams’, the 5 ancient sanctified shiva shrines, hence this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a prestigious place of worship for the Hindus. Many devotees flock from India paying homage to the shrine, seeking forgiveness and asking for favours.
Unfortunately, the temple was severely destroyed by the Portuguese not once but twice during their colonial rule. The main shrine has recently been renovated with charitable contributions and help of its dedicated devotees. The temple comes alive during the months of August and September when there is a festival in honour of Lord Shiva. With an electrifying atmosphere of many activities such as performances and shows plus a whole lot more. It is attended by Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Muslims, reflecting unity and harmony of all four religions.
