History:

is a holy shrine dedicated to God Sivan. Located in the North Western Province in Mannar, Sri Lanka, the temple was built around the 5th century during the reign of King Mahasena. Sivan is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, who is considered to be the guardian of this temple. The temple played a pivotal role in the history of the Northern Province and has many religious and cultural values. The Maanavari temple, located in the same area, is deemed to be more than 2000 years old and is dedicated to the forces of good. Rajakathaluwai, a village located in the North Western Province, is a sacred place and is believed to be one of the five must-visited sites in Sri Lanka. It is one of the best temple in SriLanka which you must visit.

Facts:

1. The Sivan Temple, Maanavari is one of the most prominent shrines in Sri Lanka and is located in the central part of the island. 2. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is the main shrine of the Hindu Saivite tradition. 3. It is believed that Lord Shiva first appeared at the temple in a previous yuga and it is said that He still resides in the temple. 4. The main deity of the temple is Maanavari Uruthiran who is enshrined in murti form. 5. The temple is renowned for performing Rajakathaluwai, a special pooja or ritualistic offering that lasts for four days. 6. During the pooja, the devotees perform aarathi prayer with 18 different types of lamps which serve to light the entire premises. 7. Devotees also break coconuts and place them on the deity as an offering. 8. Numerous other rituals such as aarathi, theertha snanam and homam are also performed as an offering to the deity. 9. The temple also offers various other services such as Girivalam (walking around the temple), annadanam (food offering) and abishekams (ablution with holy water). 10. The temple can be visited both on festival days as well as regular days and is especially crowded on Shiva Ratri, the birth day of Lord Shiva. Here are some facts about the SriLanka temple.These facts will help you understand why it is oldest temple list of the best temples in SriLanka

Worship Method:

The worship method of the Sivan Temple, Maanavari, Rajakathaluwai in Sri Lanka is based on the Agamic system of worship, which is the traditional system of Hindu Temple worship common in South India. According to Agamic practices, devotees offer water and flowers to the main Sivan deity, chant mantras, perform abhishekam (ritual offering of water to the deity), and perform special archanais (ritualistic offerings) such as aghamarshanam, pancha sukta, and sthala purana. Devotees also take part in ritual activities such as puja (worshipping deities), homa (offering of fire to deities), and archana, as well as perform poojas such as dhanurmandalam, sraddha, and the milan routine. Other rituals include daily chanting of Vedic hymns and Sanskrit slokas, the reading of scriptures, performance of yagya (fire sacrifices), and pradakshinam (circumambulation) of the deity, which is performed three times a day. Finally, devotees can take part in group chanting of mantras such as the Gayatri Mantra and the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, meditation and bhajans (devotional songs). This most visited temple in SriLanka

Opening Timing:

The temple is open every day from 8am to 6 pm. top temples in SriLanka

How to reach:

To reach the Sivan Temple at Maanavari, Rajakathaluwai in Sri Lanka, you need to fly to Colombo International Airport. From Colombo airport, you can take a bus or taxi to the Manavari town. Alternatively, you can also take a train to Central Colombo and take a bus or taxi from there. Manavari is located 25km away and the journey by road should take approximately 1 hour. From Manavari town, you need to take a tuk-tuk or cab to reach the Sivan Temple. famous temples in SriLanka