This huge Hindu temple, crowned by two towering god-encrusted, golden-ochre gopuram, is one of the most significant Hindu religious complexes in Sri Lanka. Its sacred deity is Murugan (or Skanda), and during cacophonous puja – at 5am, 10am, noon, 4.15pm (small puja), 4.30pm ("special" puja), 5pm and 6.45pm – offerings are made to his brass-framed image and other Hindu deities in shrines surrounding the inner sanctum. It's about 1.5km northeast of the center.
The kovil’s current structure dates from 1734, and its huge compound shelters decorative brasswork, larger-than-life murals, pillared halls and a colonnaded, stepped holy pool.
You can say a prayer at the sacred tree in the temple’s southern courtyard anytime: get a piece of gold-threaded cloth from outside the temple, wrap some coins in it, and tie it to the tree along with a prayer. Afterwards, ring the big brass bell.
Visitors must remove their shoes; men need to remove their shirts as well. Photos are not allowed.
The temple is the focus of the enormous and spectacular Nallur Festival in midsummer.