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Selva Sannithy Murugan Temple Thondaimanaru

Revered as Sella Katirkāmam of the North, Selva Sannithi Murukan Temple at Thondaimanaru is situated about twenty miles north of Jaffna. Here too, as at Katirkamam, a free non-agamic environment for worship pervades the place, persons of various creeds and castes congregate here for darshan of the Vel installed at this blessed cannitānam (Celva Canniti).

The waters of Thondaimanaru, a tîrtham where fresh water flows into the sea past the site, elevates the location to a sthalam, blessed with the triple adjuncts of tîrtham, sthalam and mūrti. This waterway said to have been excavated under the supervision of Karunakara Thondaiman. He was sent here for procurement of salt supplies, by Kulatunka Colan, who reigned in South India from 1070 to 1118 A.C. The temple by the side of the newly cut waterway would have been the place of worship of this settlement that got founded in the locality. The temple however suffered the fate of devastation, like all other Hindu temples, in the hands of the foreigners of the 16th century.

At this stage, the story shifts to one Kadirkamar, a keen devotee of Murukan, who proceeded bewailing to Katirkamam, and was rewarded there with the gift of a silver Vel. He brought this sacred Vel and installing it in a madam at the sacred site, performed daily pujas to it. Later, he was permitted to use the temple itself, which he took over. He and his group have been managing and officiating ever since, with piety and satisfaction to all devotees.

Reference: http://kataragama.org/centers/selvasanniti.htm