Festival of devotional splendour

by Chelvatamby MANICCAVASAGAR

Among the temple festivals of Sri Lanka the Kataragama festival is looked upon with great veneration. The annual festival which commenced with the hoisting of the flag on July 22 will conclude with the water-cutting ceremony on August 5 in the Menik Ganga.

During the festival season Buddhists and Hindus gather at Kataragama in thousands either to fulfil their vows or to seek knowledge and guidance from God Kataragama.

This year more devotees have gone on 'Pada Yatra' to Kataragama from the Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka since the situation in the country has improved now. 'Pada Yatra' is a traditional procession to Kataragama by pilgrims of all walks of life belonging to various religions and races. These pilgrims stay at the temple and are offered food (anna danam) or they cook for themselves.

At the festival period the Basnayake Nilame and all other temple officials take the casket of the God Kataragama in procession for fourteen successive nights in the customary fashion in an elephant's back with Chamaras, lamps and flamebeauxs. The grandest perahera will be on the final night and will be followed by the water-cutting ceremony in the Menik Ganga.

Kataragama is perhaps unique as a meeting place of two closely connected, yet separate religious traditions, Buddhism and Hinduism, which had co-existed and closely interacted over a period of two thousand years. As the centre of cult and pilgrimage it is kept in deep veneration and visited by both Buddhists and Hindus.

Another interesting feature about Kataragama is its close association with the Veddahs in legend and mythology. The Veddahs, one of the native communities inhabiting the island until modern times, were in the habit of visiting Kataragama and offering worship according to their own customs.

In the Buddhist tradition as found in Sri Lanka, Kataragama is one of the sixteen sacred sites, since medieval times it was closely associated with the worship of Kandakumara or Karttikeya one of the few guardians, Gods of Lanka, the others being Natha, Pattini and Vishnu whose images are still paraded in festival processions conducted annually in honour of the Tooth Relic in the town of Kandy.

Murukan, who has his abode at Kataragama, is indeed a teacher and a companion. He is the companion in distress, the guardian against evil and the healer of disease and pain. To the devotee and to the seeker He provides all the requirements of comfort. He is the source of knowledge and eternal bliss.

All the attributes of transcendence are conceived in relation to Murukan. He is principally the manifestation of Shiva, the universal spirit and in that form the guardian of the cosmic order. His blessings which assume the form of gifts, protection, enlightenment and ultimate bliss. The day before the ceremony, pooja is offered to the God by the Kapurala and the festival procession takes place from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm. The Basnayake Nilame and Kapuralas with other temple officials take the casket of the God in procession on the back of the elephants accompanied by shouts of haro hara and bhajans. First, the procession proceeds at a slow pace around the three temple within the Devala premises.

Then it proceeds to Valliamma Temple. Therafter, the procession goes through Meda Veethiya and back to the main temple.

On the last day, at the precise hour of the rise of the Full Moon the Water-cutting ceremony is enacted. The holy casket is then taken in the usual manner to the Menik Ganga.

Amidst the shouts of haro hara and the beating of drums, thousands of pilgrims with upraised hands bathe in the consecrated waters of the river.

Indeed if one prays the God Kataragama with utter devotion one will undoubtedly receive His Divine blessings.

Furthermore, to a world lost in error and weighed down by forces of darkness, trials and tribulations, conflicts and contradictions, let us all surround ourselves at the feet of Lord Kataragama for the progress and success of our lives and also for the everlasting peace, eternal prosperity and racial harmony in Sri Lanka.