Trinco is a port city on the east coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. It is one of the main centers of Tamil speaking culture on the island. Historically referred to as Gokanna, or Gokarna it has been a sea port that has played a major role in maritime and international trading history of Sri Lanka.
The Bay of Trincomalee's harbour is renowned for its large size and security; unlike every other in the Indian Sea, it is accessible to all types of craft in all weathers. The beaches are used forsurfing, scuba diving, fishing and whale watching. The city also has the largest Dutch fort in Sri Lanka. It is home to major Sri Lankan naval bases and a Sri Lankan Air Force base.
Renowned in legend and history, by a variety of names—Kōna Malai, Kōnā Malai, Tiru Kōna Malai — Trincomalee is the site of the “Sacred Hill of the Three Temples.” Situated on the eastern seaboard, the place finds mention in the Mahavamsa by the name of Gōkarna, the Sanskrit and Pali form of the Tamil KONa or Sinhalese GOna.
The Story of the Holy Hindu Shrine
On the summit of the Rock, known as the Swami Rock or the Three Swami Rock, was the “temple of unusual size and splendor, renowned through the whole of India,” the temple which was razed to the ground and despoiled by the Portuguese in 1624. Tirujnana Sambandar the Saivite saint of the 7th century AD features the temple in his devotional hymns. This is the earliest reference to the temple, which in point of time goes back to a far distant epoch.
The Pallavas of South India had considerable influence over the region, in the time specifically of the King of Ceylon, Manavanna (668—703 AD), as we learn from the Sanskrit inscriptions at Tiriyayi, 29 miles north of Trincomalee. From this and other related accounts, it is reasonable to conclude that the Pallava kings bestowed much attention to the temple dedicated to Koneswara and enlarged it considerably. From references to the “Thousand Pillared Mandapam,” it was obviously a shrine of magnificent proportions.
The Chola and Pandyan kings maintained the traditions of royal patronage. The inscriptions at the archway of Fort Frederick with the insignia of the double fish symbolism of the Pandyan kings, are eloquent of the Pandyan connections ascribed to the 13th century.
How the shrine fared at the hands of the Portuguese, and what happened thereafter, are matters of history. A good summary of the events, is what is contained in the pages of Tennent:
“In the earlier portion of their career in Ceylon the Portuguese showed the utmost indifference to the possession of Trincomalee; but after the appearance of the Dutch on the coast and the conclusion of an alliance between them and the Emperor of Kandy, Constantine de Sa, in 1622 alarmed at the possibility of these dangerous rivals forming establishments in the Island, took possession of the two ports of Batticaloa and Trincomalee, and ruthlessly demolished the “Temple of a Thousand Columns,” in order to employ its material in fortifying the heights on which it stood. Some of the idols were rescued from this desecration, and conveyed to the Pagoda of Tamblegam; but fragments of carved stone-work and slab bearing inscriptions in ancient character, are still to be discerned in the walls of the Fort, and on the platform for the guns.
The scene of this sacrilege is still held in the profoundest veneration by the Hindus. Once in each year, a procession, attended by crowds of devotees, who bring offering of fruits and flowers, repairs, at sunset, to a spot where the rock projects above the ocean—a series of ceremonies is performed, including the mysterious breaking of a cocoanut against the cliff; and the officiating Brahmin concludes his invocation by elevating a brazen censer above his head filled with inflammable materials, the light of which, as it burns, is reflected far over the sea.” (Tennent’s Ceylon, Vol. II, pp. 484-485).
Buddhist historical sites
There are several Buddhist historical sites around the Trincomalee, meaning that there had been a Buddhist inhabitance in the area for many centuries. These include the famous Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara (Seruwila Temple), south of the trico town, which is under consideration to be declared a UNESCO world heritage site dating back to 2nd century B.C. the Sri Gajaba Len Vihara (Sri Gajaba Cave Temple), Tiriyay temple and the Welgam temple.
This is a main point that get the attraction of the Visitors local & other.In the evening If you're here when the sun Rise up or In the Afternoon when the Sun Set comes You may never leave this place for sure.
If you want you can arrange a Boat Safari for so many Islands which are situated at the Sea Side.
KINNIYA BRIDGE
Kinniya is one of the eleven divisions of Trincomalee District. It is located in the southern part of the district, about 16 km south of Trincomalee Town. Trincomalee District is the northernmost of the three districts in the Eastern Province.
The division spreads over an area of 146.9 km2, which is 5% of the land area of the district. Thus it is the second smallest division in terms of land area.
In the North the division borders with the Thampalakamam Bay, in the West with the Thampalakamam Division, in the South with the Kantale Division and in the East with the Seruvila and Mutur Divisions (the Mahaweli Ganga forms the border) as well as with the Koddiyar Bay. There are 31 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions and 99 villages within Kinniya Division. Furthermore, it contains two Local Government jurisdiction areas: the Kinniya Urban Council (UC) area and the Kinniya Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) area. The UC area contains about 17 GNs in the North of the division. The remaining area falls under the jurisdiction of the PS (14 GNs).
The total population of the division was estimated at 75,507 persons (or 16,641 families) in 2005. Thus it is the second largest division of the Trincomalee district in terms of population. The average population den-sity is 514 persons per km2.
Currently, Kinniya can be accessed from the A6 (Colombo-Trincomalee) using the B541 via Thampalakamam, or the A15 via China Bay and further via a newly built bridge between China Bay and Kinniya. This bridge is currently the longest bridge in Sri Lanka.
The Hot Springs
Among the sights of the place are the seven hot springs of Kanniyayi, on the road to Trincomalee. About a mile on a side road branching from the main route, the springs are worth a visit. A high wall assembles all the seven springs in a rectangular enclosure. Each enclosed in a dwarf wall forms a well of its own. The water is mildly hot; the temperature varies but slightly in each. In effect, a public bathing resort, the use of the springs is controlled by the neighboring Mari Amman Kovil who holds the lease of the wells. The site of the springs is crown land.
The Dutch Fort
The entrance to the roadway leading to Koneswaram is actually the entrance to what used to be Fort Fredrick. The fort was built in 1623 by the Portuguese and captured in 1639 by the Dutch. It then went through a phase of dismantling and reconstruction and was attacked and captured by the French in 1672.
The British in Trincomalee
On January 8, 1782 the British captured the fort but the French recaptured it on August 29 of the same year. In 1783 the French ceded it to the British and subsequently Britain ceded it to the Dutch. In 1795 the British recaptured and held it until Sri Lanka's independence in 1948. The importance of Fort Fredrick was due to Trincomalee's natural harbour. Through Trincomalee, it was believed a strong naval force could secure control of India's Coromandel Coast.
Prior to the Second World War the British had built a large airfield to house a permanent RAF base, RAF China Bay and a fuel storage and support facilities for the Royal Navy and HMS Highflyer naval base based there. After the fall of Singapore, Trincomalee became the home port of the Eastern Fleet of the Royal Navy, and submarines of the Dutch Navy.
Until 1957, Trincomalee was an important base for the Royal Navy and was home to many British people who were employed by the British Admiralty. One of the places inhabited by the British was Fort Fredrick which is now occupied by the Sri Lankan Army. Some of the old buildings in the fort were used as residences, including one previously occupied by The Duke of Wellington. In the early 1950s The British Government built groups of bungalows within the Fort specifically for their employees.
These bungalows still exist and provide accommodation for soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army. One of the group
s of bungalows was named Edinburgh Terrace. Children of the British residents attended a Royal Naval School which was part of the Naval Base.
Hotels In Trinco
When you Visit There you can arrange many more hotels at the Beach Side
