Sri Lanka, Sanctuary of Kataragama

Sri Lanka, Sanctuary of Kataragama

Kataragama is the Hindu god of war. He is honored by making pilgrimages to the eponymous city with the temple dedicated to him, not only during the full moon of Esala, but also at any time when a believer – a Buddhist or a Hindu – wants to receive a blessing in a new undertaking, even as ordinary as buying a new car.

The sanctuary on the left bank of the Menik Ganges was always Hindu. According to legend, King Dutugemunu rebuilt the original sanctuary to fulfill the vow given after the overthrow of the Tamil ruler of Elara in Anuradhapura. It is dedicated to Skanda, the Hindu god of war, also called Kali Yuga Varatar, or Subramanya, or Carititaya. It is said that he came to the island to fight with the enemies of the gods and, having defeated them in Velpur, the present Kalutar, remained in Kataragam.

 

The modern temple is a large complex, to which, along a wide street, believers with offerings – flowers and fruits – approach. Time and tradition, as well as tangible efficacy, made the temple one of the sacred places in Sri Lanka. Many southerners, convinced of the beneficial influence of the deity, go to Qataragama to perform the puja (offering), before embarking on the implementation of plans for the future.

The traditional ritual includes washing in Menik Ganga, after which you need to change into clean clothes and go a few hundred meters to the temple. It is a simple, quadrangular white building with carved wooden doors facing east. The walls inside are covered with hundred-year soot from burning oil lamps and candles. Part of the inner room of the temple is fenced off by a curtain, only a priest can enter it.

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