Thirukkovil Temple
The chief Hindu temple of this east coast town, dedicated to Chitravelayudhar, once guardian deity of Mattakkalappu Desam and honoured as the principal temple of the Batticaloa region. Chola, Kotte and Kandyan kings all kept close ties with it.
- Where
- Thirukkovil, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 7.1333, 81.8500
Get the Thirukkovil Temple stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Thirukkovil Temple. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Eastern Province volume with your photos and a note.
Near Thirukkovil Temple
Muhudu Maha Vihara 28 km
A Buddhist temple by a wide beach at Pottuvil, believed to have been built more than 2,000 years ago by King Kavan Tissa of Ruhuna. Among its ruins are ancient stupas, stone Buddhas and two statues of old kings or gods.
Arugam Bay 32 km
A curving bay on the Indian Ocean in the dry zone of the southeast coast, a historic settlement of the old Batticaloa territory. Its point break is one of the best known surf spots in Asia and draws surfers from around the world.
Batticaloa Lagoon 52 km
A long, narrow estuarine lagoon of about 11,500 hectares on the east coast, the largest of three in its district. The city sits on the land between its waters and the Indian Ocean, and it is famous for the singing fish heard on still nights.
Kudumbigala Monastery 53 km
An ancient Buddhist forest monastery in the jungle between Panama and Kumana, with stupas and cave dwellings among great outcrops of rock. A climb to the top of the main rock looks out over the forest towards the sea.
Gal Oya National Park 54 km
A park founded in 1954 around Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka, made by damming the Gal Oya at Inginiyagala in 1950. Its elephant herd can be seen all year, and boat safaris on the reservoir watch them cross between islands.
Batticaloa Fort 66 km
A small fort built by the Portuguese in 1628 on an island in the lagoon at Batticaloa. The Dutch captured it on 18 May 1638, and from 1795 it was used by the British.
Maligawila Buddha 71 km
A standing Buddha carved from a single block of limestone in the 7th century by Prince Aggabodhi of Ruhuna, the tallest free standing ancient Buddha statue in the country. Found broken into pieces in 1951, it was put back together and raised upright again in 1980.
Kumana National Park 71 km
A park on the southeast coast that runs into Yala and was known as Yala East until 2006. It is famous for its birds, above all the great flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds that gather in its lagoons and swamps.
More hidden gems in Eastern Province
Questions
Where is Thirukkovil Temple?
Thirukkovil Temple is in Thirukkovil, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Muhudu Maha Vihara (28 km), Arugam Bay (32 km), Batticaloa Lagoon (52 km).
How do I get the Thirukkovil Temple stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Thirukkovil Temple and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Eastern Province volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Thirukkovil Temple before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Eastern Province volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.