Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil or Nallur Murugan Kovil is perhaps the most important Hindu temple in the Jaffna district. Found in the town of Nallur, The presiding deity is Lord Murugan/Skanda in the form of the holy ‘Vel’ (a devine javelin)

The presiding deity is Lord Muruga in the form of the holy Vel. The idol of Nallur Devi or goddess was offered to the temple in the 10th century by Queen Chola Sembiyan Mahadevi. The temple is a socially important institution for the Sri Lankan Hindu identity of Tamils in northern Sri Lanka. In the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora, many temples were built in Europe and North America using the same name as a cultural memory. There was a shrine dedicated to an Islamic Sufi saint in the temple complex from 1734 to 1749, when the temple was built. The dargah was moved in 1749 when the structure of the temple was built.

It is a fascinating place to visit at any time, but becomes unforgettable in the final stages of the year Nallur Festival, which spans 25 days, ending the Poya Day in August. The men dress in white sarongs, while the ladies wear their best saris, turning the entire temple complex into a vast sea of intense blues, reds and greens. Even more extraordinary are the supplicants who, using skewers pierced in the back, hang from poles. These posts are then attached to the front of the trucks and tractors, and the devotees are driven by the city to the temple, swinging in front of their vehicle like bait on a fishing line. The supplicants who perform these self-mortifications believe that God will protect them from all feeling of pain. Many also carry the distinctive Murugan (or Kataragama) symbol, a semi-circular yoke, placed on the shoulders, with peacock feathers at each end.