Thousands of devotees from Jaffna, its environs and even from places outside the peninsula gathered at the Nallur Kandasami Temple in Jaffna for the 24th consecutive day to participate in the annual religious activities of the Kovil.
This annual festival of the most significant Hindu temple, Nalluar, will reach its culmination tomorrow, when the highest numbers of pilgrims are expected to pay their respect to the presiding deity, Lord Murugan. The month long festival will reach its completion with the "Theru Pooja" (offerings).
Concerns raised by certain quarters that the numbers will be less this year due to the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement were proved to be without basis, judging by the teeming crowds at the temple.
Meanwhile the security forces have lifted the curfew. enabling more pilgrims to participate in the festival.
Adding strength and expressing their goodwill to the annual sacred festival, Security forces in the Jaffna district today distributed 10000 lunch packets to pilgrims arriving from different parts of the country including Nuwara Eliya, Vavunia and other areas far away from Jaffna.
Several devotees expressing their views said that they even expect more pilgrims in the future when a sustainable peace is expected to brought about in the region with the success of the security forces' ongoing humanitarian mission to liberate the area from the clutches of terrorism.
A devotee from Vavuniya said "We are confident of a lasting peace in the near future and We all anticipate for that day with much great fervour."
The Nallur Kanthasamy Kovil is one of the most important temples in the Jaffna peninsula. The annual festival used to commence on the sixth day of the Adi Amavaci. New moon in the month of Aadi (July) and lasts for 25 days.
Many devotees carry kavadi by way of performing penance. A kavadi is a decorated arch with two milk pots to be offered in worship. Many carriers also pierce their body with small silver spears and hooks. Rolling around the temple on the hot sand is also a common form of penance.
The Nallur temple has a history that runs back to A.D. 948 and has been the site of the most significant and sacred religious festival for the Tamil community living in all parts of the island.
