Editing Trincomalee (section)

===Gokarna Bay, Trincomalee===
The [[Trincomalee Harbour]], a circular natural harbour which the temple crowns towards the north, is referred to as ''Ko-Kannam'' or "Lord's Cheek", alluding to the cheek shape of Shiva's bull [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]]. The [[Sanskrit]] equivalent of the port town's harbour bay is ''Go-Karna'', meaning "Cow's Ear" or ''Gokarna Pattana'' and the deity's name ''Gokarneswara'' or ''Go—Natha'' in Sanskrit. [[S. Pathmanathan|Pathmanathan]] offers the etymological link ''Thiru-Gokarna-Malai'' or ''Thiru-Gona-Malai'' based on this connection.<ref name="S. Pathmanathan 1978. pages 135-144">S. Pathmanathan, The Kingdom of Jaffna, Colombo, 1978. pages 135–144</ref> 

The ethnographer [[Megasthenes]] writing in his ''Indica'' from 350&nbsp;— 290 BCE, describes the island as being divided by a long river, productive of a large number of gold and pearls in one half and that the inhabitants of this country are called ''Paleogoni'', meaning ''Old Goni'' in Tamil and [[Greek language|Greek]], who [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] adds worshipped [[Hercules]] and [[Dionysus]] (Bacchus) like the Pandyans of Tamilakam. The ''[[Vayu Purana]]'', written in 300 CE specifically mentions the tallest mountain peak of the great gold and silver rich mountain range ''Malaya'' on the island, and that "to the east of this island at the shore of the sea lies a great Siva temple in a holy place called ''Gokarna''."<ref name="ReferenceA">H.N. Apte, Vayupurana, Chapter 48 verses 20–30, Poona, 1929</ref> The bay is also referred to as ''Gokaranna'' according to a Sanskrit inscription in Grantha script excavated on a doorjamb at the Hindu temple dated to [[Puthandu|Tamil New Years Day]] 1223 CE.<ref name="History of Ceylon">{{cite book
  | last1 = de Silva  | first1 = K. M.  |last2=Ray|first2=C.M.| title = History of Ceylon  | publisher = Ceylon University Press  |year=1959–1973  | location = [[Colombo]]
  | oclc = 952216 | page = 112|quote=The inscription, found in the Hindu temple premises dates the landing of ''Chodaganga Deva'' at ''Gokaranna'' to Friday 14th April, 1223 CE (recorded as [[Saka]] Era Year 1145), and details donations this royal made to Konamamalai temple}}</ref> ''Gokarna'' is also a place name [[Gokarna, India|in Karnataka, India]], [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]], [[Kokarneswarar Temple, Thirukokarnam|Tamil Nadu]] and [[Gokarna, Nepal|Nepal]] all associated with ancient Shiva temples. The associated [[Pathirakali Amman Temple|Bhadrakali Amman Temple of Trincomalee]], significantly expanded by [[Rajendra Chola I]], stands on Konesar Road before the entrance to Swami Rock.<ref>An inscription of the Cola king, Rajendra I (1012–1044 AD) was found recently at the goddess Kali's Temple in Trincomalee, detailing his expansion of the shrine. Indrapala, Karthigesu (2007). The evolution of an ethnic identity: The Tamils in Sri Lanka C. 300 BCE to C. 1200 CE. Colombo: Vijitha Yapa. {{ISBN|978-955-1266-72-1}}.</ref>