The annual festival at the sacred Nallur 'Sri Kandaswamy' Hindu Kovil (temple in Tamil) in Jaffna came to a close yesterday (31) with special “Theru Pooja” (offerings) and other Hindu traditions, in the presence of thousands of devotees. This one of the most significant Hindu temples in the Jaffna District of Sri Lanka, and the presiding deity is Sri Kandaswamy or Murugan.

This colourful festival of Hindus at this historic sacred place dates back over 900 years. The temple that stood in Nallur in the 16th century was destroyed by the Portuguese. The festival at the present temple location dates back to the late 18th century, when the temple was rebuilt again. The festival rituals began this year of August 6, and have attracted several thousand devotees from many parts of Sri Lanka. It is reported to have drawn a number of Hindu devotees from abroad too, mainly Sri Lankan Hindus living abroad.

In order to facilitate the participation of this large number of Hindu devotees in the rituals and celebrations, the Security Forces in the Jaffna peninsula, lifted the curfew hours from the Nallur Divisional Secretariat area during August 29 – 31, helping them to travel even late at night, in the most attended days of the festival. It is  estimated at least 100,000 devotees attended the annual feast.

As directed by the Ministry of Defence, Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, Commander Security Forces, Jaffna, has in coordination with the Police and other civil organizations, made elaborate arrangements to facilitate the movement of devotees for the festival with the least inconvenience, and assisted the temple authorities in all their needs for the proper conduct of the festival and facilitation for the devotees.

As requested by the temple authorities the Security Forces arranged the provision of many extra buses, to cope with transport needs of the huge influx of devotees following with improved conditions in the peninsula.

Troops also distributed more than 10,000 lotus flowers for offerings and meal packets among devotees, who attended the finale yesterday.

A special feature of the traditional rituals at this festival is the carrying of kavadi, an act of paying penance by many devotees. A kavadi is a decorated arch with two milk pots to be offered in the worship. Many carriers also pierce their body with small silver spears and hooks. Rolling around the temple on the hot sand, with no signs of pain, is also a common practice of penance at this festival.