Tam: திருகோணமலை tirukōṇamalai – Sin: ත්රිකුණාමලය trikuṇāmalaya
‘Sacred Rock Point’ EP, Sri Lanka
From Tam: t(h)iru, ‘auspicious, sacred, holy’; kona(m), ‘point, tip, summit, end’; and malai, ‘hill, mountain, rock’.
The Koneswaram temple was constructed atop Swami Rock, on the edge of a peninsula with a cliff that looks down 120m to the sea below. Its earliest reference dates it to the 7thC at least.
The Portuguese built a fort here in 1623 which was captured first by the Dutch in 1639 and then by the British in 1782. For a spell it was occupied for by the French, returned for a ransom to the Dutch, and finally regained by the British in 1795 who called it Fort Frederick.
Trincomalee, with its large natural deep-water harbour, has been an important seaport since ancient times. It is a popular resort with dolphin + whale-watching, two gorgeous beaches (Nilaveli and Uppuveli) and the famous Trinco reindeer.
