Roger Gary
Trincomalee, a coastal city to the east of Sri Lanka is well known for its sea and surfing. But there is plenty more to see and visit in this quaint place for the wandering tourist.
Koneswaram temple, or the Temple of the Thousand Pillars, is a popular Hindu shrine located at the tip of the Trincomalee peninsula, about 20 minutes away from Trinco Blu by Cinnamon. The temple was constructed during the Chola period and the reign of Five Dravidians. The architecture of the temple reflects this influence, such as a hall with a "thousand pillars", and is considered the greatest piece of architecture for its age. The temple is dedicated to God Shiva and is one of the Pancha Ishwarams dedicated in the name of the God. The main shrine is in the form of Kona-Eiswara, which gave rise to the modern name of the temple, Koneswaram.
Although the colonial invasions destroyed the original temple and had a fort built in its stead, the rebuilt temple is home to some of the monuments and idols from the original complex. One of the main reasons for the global fame the temple has achieved is the discovery of underwater ruins of the temple, which support the ruins found upon the land to ascertain the remarkability of the structure.
Lover's Leap in Trincomalee is a sheer cliff face, where, according to local lore, damsel Francina van Reed leapt to her death with a broken heart as her lover sailed away from Sri Lanka. Located on top of Swami rock, this is a place that many young lovers visit date. The inscription on the Swami rock bear testimony to Francina van Reed's tale, although certain records show that she was indeed alive after the date indicated on the rock.
Although the history is rather grim, the actual location of Lover's Leap is indescribably beautiful. The drop is about 350 feet straight down, which also means that the view from the edge is nothing short of spectacular. There is no reason to not walk to the edge and enjoy the view as long as you are extremely careful.
Hot water wells or springs of Trincomalee are located towards Kannya, surrounded by many Trincomalee hotels. As is the custom with many things Sri Lankan and most things in Trincomalee, the hot water springs have their own back story. According to this legend, there were no hot springs when Ravana was ruling the island. Ravana embarked on a special journey, and Lord Vishnu wanted to prevent him from doing so. Therefore, Lord Vishnu took on the appearance of an old man and informed Ravana that Kannya, Ravana's mother has passed away. Moved by this news, Ravana wished to perform the rites for the dead, and inquired for a place where he could find water for ablutions. It is at this that Lord Vishnu disappeared and in his stead, several hot springs appeared.
It is customary for the locals to bathe in the hot springs. Therefore, do expect a bit of a crowd when you visit the hot water wells of Trincomalee.
