Tam: மாவிட்டபுரம் māviṭṭapuram – Sin: මාවිට්ටපුරම් māviṭṭapuram
‘Vanished Horse Town’ NP, Sri Lanka
From Tam: ma, ‘animal, beast (usually a horse or elephant)’; viṭu, ‘remove, get rid of’; and puram, ‘city’.
The Chola Princess Maruthapuraveegavalli had a disfigurement which had transformed her face so it looked more like a horse’s.
Following spiritual advice, she bathed in the holy waters at Keerimalai.
When this treatment removed her equine looks she presented a statue of Lord Murugan to the temple here as a gift of thanks (see Kankesanthurai).
