The 12 Best Things to do in Jaffna in Sri Lanka

Jaffna is a marvel, a war-torn city reborn through art, architecture, spices, and an extraordinary star-shaped fort. Jaffna is nothing short of an exhilarating yet unimposing green palisade of dramatic past, Hindu customs, and Tamilian culture if you leave aside 30-years of imminent war history. Jaffna’s days of exile and incremental hardships are long gone, as seen by its restored infrastructure, busy town centre, and palm-shaded suburbs filled with gorgeous temples and churches. When you add in lagoons and rugged coasts, this Sri Lankan city becomes the ideal starting point for anyone looking to explore the unspoiled islands of a forbidden peninsula.

Eleven years following the denouement of a thirty-year civil war, I decided to visit Jaffna to see what’s remained of it besides its perceptible culture, Buddhist temples, and wonderfully adorned Kovils. Jaffna gives off the first impression of a little town in Tamil Nadu. Against the peaceful white buildings in the background, shirtless men in lungis, ladies clad in multicoloured sarees, and large bats hovering over an Azure blue sky stand out. The booming sounds of red buses and Tuk Tuks will fill your ears with distraction every now and then, while mythological statues in all shapes and colours will pop out from rusticated crevices.

The memories of Jaffna streets fill up my senses with aromatic indulgences of spicy curries and sweet smiling faces of kind locals, keen to help in any way they can. Now you understand why Jaffna resembles India in so many ways. Yet it is convincingly different from the rest of Sri Lanka, is absolutely safe to travel, and makes for awe-inspiring landmarks you don’t want to overpass. Despite the anguish of bombed-out buildings and landmine ranges, Jaffna has a sense of familiarity; its vivid Hindu temples profoundly resemble the architecture of Southern India, natives speak Tamil, and even the cuisine yields the same footing.

Whether it’s the pyramid-shaped Dosas or the richly spiced fish/crab curries! NOW that the war has ended, it’s about time to visit Jaffna, extolling its freedom as us, as unrepressed travellers. Take a premier air taxi to enjoy a bird’s eye view of this Tamil-dominated metropolis, or take a train from Colombo, which is said to be the most scenic way to arrive at this remote paradise island. If I’ve piqued your interest (which I hope I have! ), there are a few things you should know before visiting, including what to see, eat, and where to stay.

Nagadeepa (Nainativu) Islands

In the first week of November, under an overcast sky, I drove across the semi-cordoned waters of Palk Bay, closer and closer to the southeast coast of India. Nagadeepa (or Nainativu), a cluster of islands, is at a spitting distance of 30 miles (38 km) from Jaffna and 35 miles (50 km) off Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu. Perhaps the only neighbouring coastline inciting the thrill of keeping Indians close to their home country while on foreign territory.

Otherwise, Nainativu is a whispered remark belonging to one of the ‘smallest inhabited’ conch shell islands in the Gulf of Mannar. Its name, however, alludes to the Naga tribe, as the island is home to the Hindu shrine of Shree Bhuvaneswari (Nagapooshani) Amman and the Buddhist shrine of Nagadeepa Vihare.

The 16th-century transcriptions of Shree Nagapooshani Amman Temple in ancient Tamil literature of Kundalakesi and Manimekalai are enticing; yet what brings this Shakti Peetha to life is the surround sound of the powerful chants and the calming waves. Visiting an island temple is mysteriously fascinating, especially if it’s devoted to Parvati and Shiva, the mystifying deities that wear snakes as ornaments.

But the first thing that drew my attention to this Hindu temple was its large 108-feet pyramidal Raja Raja Gopuram at the entrance. Characterised by ten thousand miniature deities sculptured in shades of blue, pink and white, this Gopuram is invariably typical of South Indian architecture, yet with a distinctive style of its own. Two large statues of the Nagapooshani goddess adorn the base of this Gopuram whereas, two life-size black elephants grace either side of its structure. On the inside, the temple is ‘largely’ an open space, with three more 25-feet tall Gopurams that once served as watchtowers and guarded against the escalating threat from the invading armies.

The entire temple complex is stacked, with multicoloured embellishments, each with a story of its own. So keep aside some time to explore its excellence for it’s not every day that you visit the northernmost tip of a paradise island close to India.

Another revered site to visit in Nainativu is its bell-shaped Nagadeepa Purana Vihare, one of the 16 most sacred Buddhist sites of Sri Lanka, attending to pilgrims since the first century. Two belligerent Naga kings, Chulodara and Mahodara, built this Rajayathana stupa in the memory of Buddha, who visited them on Bak Maha Amawaka Poya to intercede their dispute over a bejewelled throne.

With his psychic powers and Dhamma sermons, Buddha succeeded in convincing the monarchs to pursue the path of harmony and compassion, and that vibe still prevails here. Chulodara and Mahodara then gave away the throne to Buddha, leading to the establishment of the Rajayathana Stupa. Because this temple suffered great ethnic enmity during the civil war, it drove its residing monks to learn self-defence skills.

Dambakola Patuna Port

From Nainativu Island, we drove to the ancient port of Jambukola (or Dambakola Patuna) towards the north of Jaffna. It’s just 45-minutes from Jaffna city, but, from the Nainativu island, it takes nearly an hour. A modest ochre-coloured gate and a palm-fringed road makes way to this legendary port that reminisces the tale of Theri Sanghamitta, sister of Mihindu Maha Thero, who led Buddhism to Sri Lanka in 250 BC. Legend has it that Sanghamitta visited Lanka with a sacred Bo Sapling. King Devanampiya Tissa, then monarch, honoured her arrival by building Jambukola Viharaya (Samudda Panasala) temple, where they set the tree.

There is a mention of pilgrims visiting Jambukola Viharaya in the ancient chronicles of Mahavamsa and Samanthapaasasdika. King Devanampiya Tissa also planted one of the first 8-saplings of Sri Maha Bodhi on the same spot and then took the original Bo-Sapling to Anuradhapura. However, as of today, nothing remains of the original temple, and all that you see here is what was contributed by the Sri Lankan Navy in 1998. The original port was also withered and lost in time. Instead, what remains is Port Mahathiththa, also known as Mahathota or Mantota at the aperture of Malvatu Oya, now a pivotal junction of sea routes.

Keerimalai Freshwater Pond

After grabbing a quick lunch at Mangos, a rustic local Indian restaurant serving a set meal on a metal plate, I took a trip to the Naguleaswaran Temple and the divine Keerimalai freshwater pond in the village of Keerimali. Much like an infinity pool, the holy pond of Keerimalai dwells just a few feet away from the sea. No, it’s not a hot water spring. Instead, encircled by ochre-coloured walls, this unique bathing pond is said to contain miraculous waters with curative properties. As professed, by Hindu beliefs, bathing in this water can cure skin infections and persuade childless women to implore pregnancy. A few intriguing tales tell why this pond is deemed miraculous by many.

They say that back in the days, a mongoose-faced priest bearing a curse of Lord Shiva found a cure after he took a bath in this pond. A similar story doing the rounds revolves around the 7th-century Chola princess, the daughter of the King of Madurai: Mathurapuraveeravalli, who was said to have a horse-face who procured a beautiful face after bathing in this pond. A different theory also suggests that from beneath its deep surface, this holy pond links to the bottomless well of Nilavaraj, which is situated nearly 11 km away from this site. On Aadi Amaavaasai day, Hindus congregate at this pond to bathe in the natural springs and perform rituals for their forefathers. Irrespective of the ancient beliefs, this natural water spring is a refreshing change worth a visit.

Naguleswaram Kovil

Adjacent to Keerimalai Pond is the famous Naguleswaram temple, also known as the Thirutambaleswaram Kovil of Keerimalai. After Nagula Muni regained his face from taking a bath in the Keerimalai pond, he built a small shrine at this site to worship the Lingam. Thus the name – Thirutambaleswaram Kovil of Keerimalai. This Hindu temple in the outskirts of Kankesanthurai is one of the most ancient shrines of Jaffna, revered by Hindus for its handed-down ancientness. Devoted to Sri Nugulam Biha and Swami Naguleshwara, this shrine is one of Lanka’s four major Iswara temples.

Although it was ravaged by Jesuit missionaries following the Portuguese subjugation of Jaffna and later restored in 1894 by Arumuka Navalar. In 1983, it was invaded by the Sri Lankan Army and in 1993 bombed by the Sri Lankan Air Force. Almost twenty years later, in 2012, the temple was reopened to the public. The evening concluded at the Grapes Farm in Sandilipay, the only grape farm in Northern Sri Lanka. Its a great place to observe grape cultivation and the unusually large grapes that taste just as amazing as they look.

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil

The following day, I visited Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil or Nallur Murugan Kovil in the small town of Nallur, which greets you with a golden arched entrance. Devoted to Lord Murugan, this ancient temple traces its roots back to 948 AD. The biblical book of Yalpana Vaipava Malai hints that Nallur Murugan Kovil, built on a 13th-century site, was planned by King Kalinga Magha, then ruler of Jaffna. Puvenaya Vaku had overseen the construction of the original temple, with four entrances. Later, King Sapumal Kumaraya, the ruler of the Kotte Kingdom, renovated its third Nallur temple.

The original Shivalingam of the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple was in the Vicarage until demolished by Sri Lanka armed forces; but, the platform where it was mounted is still in the hallway of the residence of a vicar. The city tour of the northernmost tip of Jaffna concluded with me following the trail of heritage sites along the coasts of Nelliady.

Jaffna Fort

On the last day of my stay in Jaffna, I took on, to explore some of its most touristy sites; starting with the famous star-shaped Portuguese Jaffna Fort. This 16th-century fort, near the coastal village of Gurunagar, was built on the orders of Phillippe de Oliveira following the Portuguese invasion of Jaffna. Before being seized by the Dutch in 1658, this post was “Fortress of Our Lady of Miracles of Jafanapatão,” taking its name after the miracles ascribed to a Virgin Mary statue in a nearby church.

In 1795, the British took over and retained control until 1948, making Jaffna Fort the ONLY large military fort in Lanka. Within its ramparts are government and military buildings fortified by a cut of the Ceylon Army. The fort premises also houses the King’s House or the Governor’s residence, Queen’s House, the Garrison Parade Ground, Kruys Church, Police quarters and several other buildings from the Portuguese era.

Between 1985 and 1995, Jaffna Fort was under the control of the LTTE, and they primarily used this site to stage multiple military attacks until Sri Lanka Army recaptured it in 1995. Today, Jaffna Fort is being restored, with Dutch funding with limited access to visitors.

Alfred Duraiappah Stadium

Named after Lankan politician, lawyer, mayor and member of parliament assassinated by LTTE, Alfred Duraiappah is a sports stadium that was neglected, over a long time because of the civil war. Later in 1999, several secret mass graves were unearthed while setting the new foundation. Nearly 65,000 people had lost their lives in the war, and when skeletons were found, villagers turned up, grasping the identity cards of their missing loved ones in the hope to be able to claim some of the splintered bones pulverised into compressed clay.

Jaffna Clock Tower

Jaffna Clock Tower is yet, another prime landmark in the city, built to memorialise the visit of Albert Edward in 1875. To welcome the visit of Edward, then Prince of Wales, a Jaffna Reception Committee was established to raise funds to buy gifts such as a silver chest and set of jewels. From the remaining funds, a permanent memorial in the form of the clock tower was curated: it was designed, by James Smither, wherein the clock bell, dated 1882, came in as a donation from Governor James Longden. Since the Jaffna clock tower underwent severe damages during the civil war, Charles, Prince of Wales, granted help of Rs 1 million in repairing it in 1998. This restored tower was re-opened in June 2002.

Jaffna Library

Of all the disruption witnessed by Jaffna, the burning of its public library in 1981, induced maximum pain on its people. Tamilians indoctrinated this mortifying burning experience as a symbol of imaginative violence, as it was the attack on their values, traditions, aspirations, and academic achievements.

They say it was one of the most traumatising precedents of ethnic biblicism of the 20th century. More so because the Jaffna library at the time was one of the biggest in Asia, holding over 95,000 books, palm leaf manuscripts, and originals of regionally notable documents published hundreds of years ago.

Jaffna Cuisine

The cuisine I tasted in Jaffna was relatively very different from what I devoured in other provinces of Sri Lanka. Irrespective of what you eat, be it the seafood curries (Crab curry being my personal favourite), the dosas or the biryani, Indian influence is profoundly apparent. Thanks to the predominantly Buddhist population, Sri Lanka, is one of the most vegan-friendly countries I have visited to date and so even the vegetarians are well-catered to, in Jaffna. While the principal feature of Jaffna cuisine is steamed rice, served with vegetables, lentils, or a fish/meat curry, for me, the stand-out dish was Jaffna Odiya Kool that I tasted at North Gate by Jetwing.

Cooked with the marvellous seafood uprooted from Jaffna Lagoon, Jaffna Odiya Kool gets its unique flavour from the thickened palmyra. Likewise, the prawns I ate at the Thinnai Organic held rich flavours of lemongrass, Rampe and Moringa with these tender and juicy crustaceans wrapped in a luscious gravy. The trick to preparing authentic Jaffna prawn curry is, to first cook the heads in the curry base to wheedle out the depth of flavour. If you love prawns curry, then I bet this will be the best you’ve tasted so far!

Each Jaffna meal is accompanied with fried red chillies, a variety of chutneys, pickled fruits and sambols. Finish your meal with buffalo curd with Palmyra palm treacle, or get Shira from Mangos Indian restaurant or ice cream from Rios. Coffee and chocolate Sunday nuts at Rios is an irresistible flavour you are sure to repeat.

How to get around Jaffna

One of the delights of visiting South East Asian countries is that it’s easy to get around. Walk out of your hotel, wave at a Tuk Tuk, and you are ready to pave your way around the city in the most economical Lankan transportation. Although in Jaffna, distances are bones, so you can pretty much explore your immediate neighbourhood on foot.

The main bus stand is located right in the centre of the town. Since Jaffna culture favours simplicity and conservativeness, PDAs and short clothes are frowned upon! So cover up a little (shoulders and knees) while you explore the town, and you are sure to be welcomed with open arms. ATMs are accessible in the main tourist areas, however, most restaurants, Tuk Tuk drivers and local stores run on cash so, it’s advisable to keep some change handy!

Where to stay in Jaffna

North Gate by Jet Wing or The Thinnai Organic. I was hosted by Sri Lanka Tourism Board at North Gate by Jetwing, however, there are plenty of Level I hotels in Jaffna that you can choose from. Given the current pandemic, I won’t recommend home stays, instead, I would insist everyone to choose a place which is regularly sanitised. I visited Thinnai Organic for lunch but, I really like their accommodation which is perfect for social distancing and for staying amid nature.