Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

3031 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Early medieval · Hindu · Sri Lanka

Kokkadicholai Thaanthonreeswarar Temple

Kokkadicholai, Batticaloa District, Eastern Province · 7.6167°, 81.7167°

Shiva (Thaanthonreeswarar)CholaTamil (Dravidian)
Sacred since
850 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
Chola era
Chola

History & significance

A Shaiva temple southwest of Batticaloa, ascribed to Ulaga Naachi of the Chola realm and counted among the oldest and most important Shiva kovils in Sri Lanka. Its lingam is reported to be a naturally formed one, a rarity on the island.

Sthala katha — the traditional account

What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.

Local tradition holds that the temple's stone bull came to life, grazed on the grass and drove Portuguese soldiers away from the shrine.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-28 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chola