Okanda

Village in Sri Lanka

Okanda

ඔකඳ
உகந்தை

Village

Pond in front of Ukanthamalai Velayuda Swami Temple

Okanda

Coordinates: 6°39′0″N 81°46′0″E﻿ / ﻿6.65000°N 81.76667°E﻿ / 6.65000; 81.76667
Country| Sri Lanka
Province| Eastern
District| Ampara

Okanda (Sinhala: ඔකඳ, romanized: okan̆da; Tamil: உகந்தை, romanized: Ukantai) is a small hamlet in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka within the Ampara District. It is known for its shrine dedicated to the Hindu deity Murugan, known as Ukanthamalai Murugan Kovil, and for surfing. Pilgrims from the Eastern Province and the Northern Province stop over at the Okanda Murugan temple on their Murugan Pada Yatra voyage to Kataragama temple in the southern part of the island.[1]

## Etymology

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Okanda is a corruption of the verb Ukantai meaning "to sit", for at this holy site Lord Murugan and others 'sat down' (ukantār) and rested.

## References

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1. ^ Harrigan, Patrick. "Ukanta Malai Velâyudha Swâmi Shrine, Okanda". Retrieved 2 September 2011.