Magnificent Nagapooshani Amman Kovil

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The Northern Province is embellished with beautiful Hindu kovils, each with its unique history. There is an iconic kovil bursting with vibrant colours on the quaint island of Nainativu. Since 1720, the magnificent Nagapooshani Amman Kovil has attracted millions of devotees. It has been visited by people from all Northern islands, as well as faithful devotees from across Sri Lanka. The origins of the ancient kovil can be traced to the 16th century.

This narrative is from two visits to this sacred kovil. After travelling by sea and landing on the pier, we ventured into this sanctum which is peacefully nestled with the blue ocean on one of her borders. The journey by sea is safe and refreshing. The pristine location accentuates the spiritual aura of the sacred Hindu kovil.

This kovil dedicated to Parvati who is known as Nagapooshani or Bhuvaneswari and her consort, Shiva, who is named here as Nayinaar. The kovil’s fame is accredited to Adi Shankaracharya, a ninth-century Hindu philosopher, for identifying it as one of the prominent 64 Shakti Peethas in Shakti Peetha Stotram and its mention in the Brahmanda Purana.

The temple complex houses four gopurams (gateway towers) ranging between 20 to 25 feet in height, to the tallest being the eastern Raja Raja Gopuram proudly soaring to 108 feet high. This is an imposing tower embellished with intricate statues. The holy site is a significant symbol for the Hindu people, and has been mentioned since antiquity in ancient Tamil literature, such as Manimekalai and Kundalakesi.

Some refer to this site as Sri Nayinai Amman Kovil. It is believed the present structure was built during the 1720–1790 period after the ancient structure was destroyed by the invading Portuguese around 1620. The grand kovil attracts around 1,000 visitors a day. The annual 16-day Mahostavam (Thiruvizha) festival celebrated during the Tamil month of Aani (June/July) attracts over 100,000 pilgrims. There is an estimated 10,000 sculptures in this newly-renovated Hindu temple.

An oral tradition states that many centuries ago, a cobra (Nagam) was swimming across the sea towards Nainativu from the nearby Puliyantivu Island with a lotus flower in its mouth, for the worship of Bhuvaneswari Amman. An eagle (Garuda) spotted the cobra and attempted to attack and kill it. Fearing harm from the eagle, the cobra wound itself around a rock (referred to in Tamil as Paambu Sutriya Kal in the sea about half a kilometer from the Nainativu coast. The eagle stood on another rock (Garudan Kal, ‘the Rock of the Eagle’) some distance away.

A merchant by the name of Maanikan, who was a devotee of Sri Bhuvaneswari Amman, was sailing across the Palk Strait to trade with the ancient Naka Nadu, noticed the eagle and the cobra perched upon the two rocks. He pleaded with the eagle to let the cobra go on its way without any harm. The eagle agreed with one condition that the merchant should construct a beautiful temple for Sri Bhuvaneswari Amman.

The moolasthanam (central shrine) of Nagapooshani Amman and her consort Nayinaar Swami are in traditional Dravidian Hindu architecture. The inner wall of the temple together with the outer wall of the central shrine creates a pradakshina (path) around the garbhagriha. The entrance is extensively decorated with paintings, sculptures and oil lamps.

Over the garbhagriha is a 10-feet high vimana (tower). The garbhagriha has two entrances – the main entrance facing the East, from which the Moolamurtis (consecrated deities) can be viewed and one facing the South, from which the Utsavamurtis (festival deities) can be viewed. A unique feature of this massive kovil is that Nayinaar Swami and Nagapooshani Amman are installed together as if they are one; granting darshanam to devotees as Shiva-Shatki (the primeval energies of the cosmos).

The Raja Raja Gopuram is the largest of the three gopurams that adorn this temple. I assume it is the largest of its kind in Sri Lanka. The tower majestically rises to 108 feet and touches the clouds. It has over 2,000 intricately sculpted and painted figures on all four sides. It has nine passages and nine golden kalasas. From a distance it appears to crown the much older east Gopuram, and hence it duly deserves the name of “Raja Raja Gopuram” (“King of Kings Tower”). It was constructed between 2010–2012, with the efforts of artists from Tamil Nadu, India.

Mahakumbhabhishekam (the great temple revival ceremony) was held in late January 2012. This event was attended by almost 200,000 Hindu devotees from various countries. According to history, the east gopuram is the oldest of the three gopurams on the modern day structure. As the name implies, it opens facing the rising sun across the blue sea in the East. It rises to the height of 54 feet from the base. This gopuram originally had the fewest sculptures.

During the renovation period, a number of new sculptures have been added and painted in brighter colours. Upon entering this gopuram, one directly faces the Moolamurtis (consecrated deities). The south gopuram is a fairly new structure built in the early 1970s. As the name implies, it opens facing south. It rises to the height of 54 feet from the base.

During the renovation period, sculptures on this gopuram were also painted in brighter colours to match the newly constructed Raja Raja Gopuram. Upon entering this gopuram, one directly faces the Utsavamurtis (festival deities). The South East Gopuram is a new addition to the temple. Although this gopuram is in the South-East corner of the temple complex, it also faces South.

Built in December 2011, its primary purpose is to welcome those coming from within the island to worship the Goddess, and visitors from the nearby Naga Vihara (Buddhist Temple). It reaches the height of about 25 feet. It is the smallest gopuram and has the fewest sculptures. I couldn’t imagine there was so much art and history on a remote island. Some seagulls hovered above us. Chariot festivals are common in all major Hindu kovils. The Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple chariot displays an exquisitely sculpted example of a temple chariot. This chariot is used to carry the Utsavamurtis (processional deities).

The chariot is used only once a year for the festival Ratholsavam (Tamil-chariot festival). The beautiful chariot is drawn by a thousand devotees around the outer pradakshina (path) of the grand kovil. It reaches a stunning height of 35 feet and is covered with various sculptures. Two other slightly smaller chariots for Sri Ganapathi Swami and Sri Valli Devayani Sametha Subramanya Swami used to accompany the main chariot.

The Nagapooshani Amman Kovil will remain as a radiant spiritual beacon for decades to come. My visit here was a rewarding experience.

Dishan Joseph