The Sacred Munneswaram Temple

This place of worship is the holiest of holy shrines and is sited on a hillock close to the Chilaw road. It is a very old place of worship dating back to 1000CE. The sacred place is devoted to Lord Shiva. The Hindu Shrine is accepted among all Hindus and other religions. You should add it on your list of ‘do’ things. If you are holidaying around this region, or in and around the city of Colombo then the Munneshwaram Temple is a must see.

How do you get there?

The holy shrine is located in the North Western Province, in the district of Puttalam close to Chilaw. You can use any mode of transport to travel here, whether it is bus, train, taxi, or car. If you are staying in a Colombo hotel then you can get the hotel to arrange for you to get to this point, or you can book a tour agency to take you. However if you are travelling by yourself, the cheapest way will be to travel by train from Colombo which will be about 1 hours duration. Train tickets will be about 400 to 600 Rupees.

The distance from Colombo to Munneshwaram will be about 72km which is about 83.5 km road distance.

Hotels in plenty

There are many hotels in and around the Chilaw area or places close by, that you can choose from. You can book any one of these hotels via the internet, as there is a wide selection of about 50 hotels at your disposal, and not all that costly for a comfortable and clean stay at one of these budget type hotels. The food is also clean and wholesome (some of these hotels may serve only vegetarian foods) all within easy access to Munneshwaran Temple.

A brief History of this glorious Shrine

This is a massive place of worship. It is a compound within the temple precincts. There are another five temples housed within its structure. There is also a Buddhist shrine located inside the kovil. The main shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva the highlight and star attraction of this shrine, and populated by all worshippers. Other temples pay homage to Lord Ganesha, Ayyanayake and Kali Amma, which is not just popular among the Hindu people but also people of all walks of life, and very well-liked among the Buddhists. The most important shrine is managed and maintained by Hindus.

The temple is at the village called Munneshwaram. The village is habited both of the Sinhala and Tamil people.

The many grand festivals held at this temple

The Sivarathri and Navarathri festivals are held with all its pomp and pageantry annually, and very popular among the Hindu people.  The festival goes on for 90 days in honor of the Goddess Navarathri. The Munneswaram festival is also an annual event, and thousands of worshippers throng the streets and Kovil to witness this grand event.  It is something that you should go and see for yourself. And get cultural and spiritual perspective of how these festivals are held and what it means to the Hindu people.

When entering the temple please remember to dress accordingly and remove your shoes and any head coverings. It will take about 20 minutes or so for you to view the whole shrine. This place of worship is full of legend, stories and tales of the past including the famous tale of the Ramayana, the epic Indian story which depicts the bravery of Rama.  Most people come here to pay homage and obeisance and above all to make vows for their well being. It is a place where vows come true.  So if you are thinking of something that needs to be done, this is the best place for you to make a vow at the Holy shrine of Munneswaram Temple.