Munneswaram

Legend : Lord Rama after his victorious battle left for Ayodhya in one of King Ravana’s vimana’s. He felt he was being followed by “Brahmahasthi Dosham” as he had killed King Ravana who was a Brahmin. He stopped the vimana at this juncture because he felt at this place the11Brahma hasthi Dosham” was not following him. He ascended from the vimana and asked God Shiva for a remedy. God Shiva blessed Lord Rama and advised him to install four lingams at Manavari, Thiru Koneshwaram, Thiru Ketheshwaram and Rameshwaram in India and pray, as the only remedy to get rid of the “Brahmahasthi Dosham”.
Location : About 1.2km from Chilaw town, on Chilaw – Kurunegala Road.
Access : Distance from Colombo to the site : 86.2 km
Time : To reach the site: The trek will take 1 1/2 hours both ways (in addition to time take to reach the Gurulupotha Rest House) To spend at site: 2 hrs.
Note : In Tamil Mun – means long time ago and Eeswaram- means Siva temple. Temple is open from 6.00 a.m to 8.00 p.m. Two annual festivals take place in this temple in February and in August. This temple was destroyed by the Portuguese. It was reconstructed in 1753. Later temple was renovated and reconstructed by Kumaraswmi Kurukkal in 1875. The construction of the “Kopuram” was completed in 1963.