Pancha Ishwarams

The Pancha Ishwarams (five abodes of Shiva) (Pañca Īśvaraṅkaḷ) are five coastal ancient kovils (temples) built in dedication to the Hindu supreme being Ishvara in the form of the god Shiva, located along the circumference of Sri Lanka. The most sacred pilgrimage complexes for Sri Lankan Tamil devotees of Hinduism, they adhere to the ancient Shaiva Siddhanta philosophy with central shrines for Shiva in each temple. Initial construction was by royal architects of the Naga kingdom (Nayanar). The Shiva lingams in each kovil are recorded as being Ravana's installations, while one of his descendants, the ancient Yaksha queen Kuveni was a devotee of Ishvara. Eventually, the kovils became international focal points of their classical era capitals in their respective districts, maintaining their own historical records, traditions and broad influence across Asia. Figures such as Agastya, Rama, Ravana and Arjuna – featured with the temples in Sthala Puranas, local Manmiyams, Mahabharata and Ramayana – are displayed at these shrines, although recent research points to the temples' pre-Vedic origins, built to protect devotees from natural disasters. Developed through the patronage of Ceylonese residents, Sri Lankan and Indian royals during the Nayanar-Anuraigraamam Tamraparniyan floruit, pilgrims of other dharmic schools are noted to have worshipped and

Hindu temple data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).