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The many faces and expressions of Kataragama festival
The 15-day Kataragama Esala festival is a deeply sacred time in Kataragama, a place sanctified by centuries of belief in Skanda also known as Kataragama Deviyo – the island’s warrior deity and divine guardian.
Thousands of devotees and pilgrims of many faiths, particularly Hindus and Buddhists, gather here to seek the divine intervention of God Murugan, God Skanda or Kataragama Deviyo.
There is an air of exultation, with streets beautifully lit-up and decorated for the celebrations. Worshippers travel from across Sri Lanka for the festival. The Pada Yatra, a walk of faith sees devotees making the journey on foot from Jaffna to Kataragma in time for the Kataragama Perahera.
Hindu swamis from the North on their way to Kataragama shrine
The Pada Yatra transcends mere physical travel; it embodies a profound experience that touches both the spirit and the soul – a testament to unwavering belief and spiritual endurance.
Beginning in Jaffna in May, this sacred foot pilgrimage snakes along Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, nearly 400 kilometres, traversing ancient villages, wildlife reserves like Kumana and Yala, along sunbaked trails until it reaches Kataragama. Saffron-robed swamis, villagers and seekers from afar – walk for weeks under open skies, sleeping in the wild, sustained only by faith and the generosity of strangers.
Visiting Kataragama at the height of its festival last week, what struck me was the many moods I encountered, the many faces and the diversity of their expression. Hindu swamis with long white beards clad in orange, blessing the devotees with fanning peacock feathers, Kavadi dancers and throngs of pilgrims camping in the surrounding areas of the main shrine and under trees. Each day, various charity organisations held dansalas to give foods and refreshments to the pilgrims.
The Kataragama Festival concluded on July11 with the water cutting ceremony at the Menik Ganga.
A Pada Yatra pilgrim ready to make offerings at Kataragama
A Hindu devotee holding a coconut and burning camphor
The Kataragama Maha Perahera. Pix by Janath de Silva
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