This island is referred to in the 12th-century Rameswaram Sinhala inscription of King Nissankamalla (1187-1196 A.D.) as "Puvagu Divaina".

The temple's history dictates that on one fateful day, a box floated towards the island and settled toward the shore.

Village members and heads gathered to examine the idol and suddenly an old woman amongst the crowd entered a trance and revealed the following.

I have incarnated myself into seven and will travel to other regions in Sri Lanka, while I the main form, will reside in this village.

The goddess is considered to be a very powerful deity and those who venerate her with full devotion have asserted that she never fails to listens and respond to her devotees plight.

The civil war has also led a large number of people to migrate out of the Island throughout the world.