http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanniya_Hot_water_spring
Description
Kanniya Hot Water Spring, Trincomalee
Kanniya Hot Springs is famous hot well in Sri Lanka from the past. There are seven wells in a square shape. Wells are only 3–4 feet deep and you can clearly see the bottom. The temperature is considerably high but vary from one spring to another. Wells run out of water, when 10-15 buckets of water are taken out.
This hot water spring is connected with Hindu culture. Most of the Tamils in Sri Lanka doing the religious rites for their lost loved one in this hot water spring according to Hindu culture. It is believed King Ravanan started this religious rites for his mother.
Kanniya Hot Water wells has now become a popular attraction for those who visit Trincomalee now that the LTTE Terrorists which controlled this area has been completely wiped out. There are 7 hot springs now converted to bathing wells. The temperature of each is slightly different from each other. It is also believed the water from the wells have therapeutic healing powers and can cure many aliments.
According to the notice board put by the Pradeshiya Saba at the wells, this well goes back to the times of King Ravana who ruled the country over 5000 years ago. But now it has been accepted that these wells belonged to an great Buddhist monastery which span vast area. Ealamisation of the North and East has destroyed the most of the Buddhist remains in these areas and only few has escaped the wrath of the Eelamists who have taken up to the task of erasing all signs of ancient Buddhist civilization in these areas for the last 30-40 years