Tam: காங்கேசன்துறை kāṅkēcaṉtuṟai – Sin: කන්කසන්තුරේ kankasanturē
‘Murugan Port’ [Gayathurai] NP, Sri Lanka
From Tam: kankesan, ‘the god Murugan or Kartikeya’; and turai, ‘seaport, harbour’.
According to legend, Mathurapuraveeravalli, daughter of the King of Madurai, suffered from stomach pains and a facial disfigurement. Following a priest’s advice, she bathed regularly in the waters at Keerimalai. Soon her ailments disappeared and her illness and disfigurement vanished. As a gift of thanks she renovated the temple at Maviddapuram.
The Murugan statue for the Maviddapuram temple, specially crafted by artisans in Madurai, first landed at Gayathurai which was renamed Kankesanthurai in his honour (see Maviddapuram).
The Beach at Kankesanthurai Hiran66