01The Ishwaram of Mantai
Mantai, on the shallow strait facing Rameswaram, was for centuries the great port of northern Lanka, and its Shiva temple was known across the Tamil land. Thirugnana Sambandar and Sundarar both sang Ketheeswaram in the Tevaram, which makes it one of only two Paadal Petra temples on the island, the other being Koneswaram. The temple’s katha says Ketu worshipped Shiva here, and the place took his name; another katha links it to Mandodari’s father, Maya. Pallava, Pandya and Chola kings kept the temple, and Chola inscriptions record gifts to it. Beside it lies the Palavi tank, where pilgrims bathe before darshan.
02Destroyed and raised again
The Portuguese, who held Mannar from 1560, destroyed the temple in 1575, and worship at the site ended by 1589; its dressed stones went into the fort and churches of Mannar. For nearly three centuries the place lay under jungle and sand. In 1872 the Shaiva reformer Arumuga Navalar of Jaffna appealed to Hindus to rebuild Ketheeswaram, the old linga was recovered from the ruins, and the temple was consecrated anew in 1903. Today Maha Shivaratri draws pilgrims from all over the island, who bathe in the Palavi tank and carry its water to the linga.
The life of this place
- 7th–8th centurySambandar and Sundarar sing the temple in the Tevaram.
- 1575The Portuguese destroy the temple.
- 1872Arumuga Navalar appeals for its rebuilding.
- 1903The rebuilt temple is consecrated on the old site.
About 10 km north-east of Mannar town on the Mannar–Jaffna road at Thirukketheeswaram junction. Maha Shivaratri (February–March) is the main festival.
