Jaffna, Sri Lanka - In a special visit to Sri Lanka, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman embarked on a spiritual journey as she paid homage to the renowned Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna. This visit is part of her three-day official trip to the island nation, reaffirming cultural and spiritual bonds between India and Sri Lanka.

Sitharaman's office announced her visit to Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil on social media, saying, "Smt @nsitharaman visits Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in Jaffna during her three-day official visit to Sri Lanka."

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, also known as Nallur Murugan Kovil, stands as an iconic Hindu temple in the heart of Jaffna District, located within Sri Lanka's Northern Province. This sacred site holds immense significance for the Tamil Hindu community and serves as a symbol of their cultural identity. Notably, its influence extends far beyond Sri Lanka's borders, with temples bearing the same name established in Europe and North America, each preserving the rich cultural heritage associated with Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil.

The temple's central deity is Lord Muruga, also known as Karthikeya, the son of Lord Shiva, represented in the form of the holy Vel. A fascinating historical tidbit is that the idol of Nallur Devi, the temple's goddess, was gifted to the temple during the 10th century AD by Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi.

This visit to the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil follows Sitharaman's exploration of the primary Hindu Temple in Trincomalee during her Sri Lankan sojourn. As a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hailing from Tamil Nadu, Sitharaman's visits to these sacred sites signify the enduring cultural and spiritual connections between India and its neighbor, Sri Lanka.