Video shows the famous Vattappalai Kannakai Amman Temple, located in Mullaitivy, northern Srilanka
History
Vattappalai, on the western shore of the Nantikadal, about two from Thanniyuttu, is celebrated for its temple of Kannakai Amman and the annual festival there. Vattappalai is a place where the water never dries up (Vatta = Dryup)
On the arrival of the messengers, Varasinka Arachchi in company with Mullai-Malanar, Saraku-Malanar, Sivhai-Malanar & C., left Trichnopoly, came to Mulliyavalai, rendered services to built the tank called Tamaraikkulam, as well as some other tanks, and lived there. Nanti, son of Varasinka Arachchi, had seven daughters; they were chaste women, they sixty wells worshipped Siva and lived justly.
The seven temple at Mannakandai in the neighbourhood, called by the people Kanyakovil, “because there were seven Vanniyan Virgin Chieftainesses”, probably commemorate the seven daughters of Nanti.
The Nantikadal lagoon, “Sea of Nanti”, is no doubt called after him. (JPL – 1895.P12 & 13)
The people call these ruins Kanniya-Kovil, because there are seven temples, and they say there were seven Vanniyan Virgin Chieftainesses.
These were probably the seven daughters of Nanti who are referred to in Kalveddu Diary of June 26, 1890.
The chief Hindu festival is at the Vattappalai temple of Kannakai Amman, a few miles from Mullaitivu. Kannakai was the daughter of a Madura Chief, who became celebrated on account of her sanctity and miraculous powers, and who for a time made the Vanni her headquarters soon after it was colonize from India. She is the patron especially of the Chetty castle, and is supposed to have power over smallpox.
This festival takes place at the end of May or beginning of June, and is attended by thousands of people, many of them Sinhalese from the North-Central Province.
“The Tamarawewa Vanniya, noe Ratemahatmaya of the eastern division of Nuwarakalawiya, with about 100 Sinhalese, attended the temple ceremony at Vaddappalai. They came by Padavil and Vedivitakallu.
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