Paralai Murugan Temple
Paralai Murugan Temple (Photo credit: Google Street View) Paralai Murugan Kovil (Tamil: பராளை முருகன் கோவில்; Sinhala: පරාලේ මුරුගන් කෝවිල) is a Hindu temple located in Chulipuram in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. History Sangamitta Bodhiya Although this site is presently a Hindu shrine, Buddhists believe that the Sangamitta Bodhi, the old Bo tree located in this temple premises is a historical tree linked to Sangamitta Theri, the daughter of Indian Emperor Asoka [(c.268-232 B.C.) Ragupathy, 1987; Wijebandara, 2014]. According to chronicles, Sangamitta Theri landed at the Dambakola Patuna port (Jambukola port) in Sri Lanka with the Sri Maha Bodhi Sapling during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa [(247-207 B.C.) Wijebandara, 2014]. This Bodhi sapling was venerably received by Devanampiyatissa and brought it in a procession to Anuradhapura along the ancient route that was fallen through the present Paralai area (Wijebandara, 2014). It is believed that the Sangamitta Bo tree on the premises of…