Kataragama in Sri Lanka

Kataragama in Sri Lanka

Kataragama a popular pilgrimage destination frequented by adherents of all religions in Sri Lanka. The main shrine devoted to Skanda popularly described in eulogies as God having six faces and twelve arms whose assistance is sought for worldly gain. The history of the shrine dates back to 2 century BC. The annual procession held in July or August is the main event of the shrine with fire walkers and Kawadi dancers. Offering to the gate are made at 4.30am 10.30am and 6.30pm daily.

Kataragama has a network of hotels, guest houses as well as free pilgrim rests.

Location

19km inland from Tissamaharama lies the small & remote town of Kataragama. Kataragama is one of most popular & most sacred pilgrimage sites of Sri Lanka

Kataragama Highlights

God Kataragama

Skanda, the Hindu god of war, aka Karthika Kumara, Shuba, Mahasena, Devasena, Kadira, Agnibhuwa, Shanmukha, Kartikama, Murugan & Subramanya. The god is said to have come to the island to fight an enemy of the gods & having defeated the demon Tharaka at Velapura, today's Kalutara, settled down at Kataragama. The Hindu war god in spite of six-faces & 12 arms doesn't look dusky & ferocious at all. If anything, he is fairly & handsome. And he is pleasant to the boot. It is said he is a bit of a Romeo too, a hero to the damsels in distress. Once he got his brother God Ganesh himself to create a distress to the damsel Valli, so that he could emerge at the nick of the time in grand style & save her with great valor & become her one & only hero. But then, to give the devil, sorry, god his due credit, we must hasten to add, the handsome god married both the girls, Walli & Pulli. Since monogamy is nothing but dull monotony (not let her hear!), the god seemed to have opted for bigamy. Polygamy is bound to become a hell of a headache even with a single head, not to mention six heads as of God Kataragama. But then, how would you know of divine endowments & faculties? They say divine ways are behind the means of mortals.

Maha Devale

This is the most important shrine. It contains the lance of the six-faced, 12-armed Hindu war god, Murugan (Skanda), who is seen as identical to the Kataragama Deviyo.

Followers make offerings at daily puja at 4.30am, 10.30am and 6.30pm (no 4.30am offering on Saturday).

Kirivehera

Beyond the Maha Devale is a meeting hall on the north side of the square. From the east gate, a Tulip tree avenue leads 500m past further lines of stalls selling lotus flowers to the Kiri Vehera dating from 1 BC.It is a milk white large stupa with a well maintained peaceful courtyard. The temple elephant is often seen shackled to the trees here, being fed a copious diet of palm leaves. Its only unusual feature being the two sets of square walls which enclose it. A modern statue of King Dutugamunu stands behind the dagoba

Sella Kataragama

Situated 5km from Kataragama is the small town of Sella Kataragama. Sella Kataragama is the place where god Kataragama first met his fErnst consort Valli Amma.

Vadihitikanda

A mountain called Vedihitikanda (meaning mountain where the god settled in) situated 5km from the town of Kataragama. Walking up to the top of the mountain is tough yet enjoyable.

Hotels

Hotel Chamila

Diyakiriththa Chalet  -Yala

Gem River Edge

Kataragama Villa

Mandara Rosen - Kataragama