Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
Sri Lanka: Thousands attend Nallur Festival in Jaffna today
Share:
by lalith | August 19, 2009 at 08:36 am
414 views | 4 Recommendations | 8 comments
Photos
Crowds of devotees numbering close to 50, 000 have flocked to the Nallur Kumaran Kovil in Jaffna today, for the 24th day of the annual festival being held for the first time since the end of the war.
The historic and cultural Hindu festival, held anually even through the pro-longed war in the North, will end tomorrow with a water-cutting ceremony.
The highlight of the festival is the Ther Chariot festival which is being held today, the 24th day, in honour of the Lord Shanmuga.
The Traffic Police and the Armed forces have lent their presence to the event and have been posted at every main entry point leading to the kovil so as to maintain order, while teams from the St.Johns Ambulance service too have been deployed at the entry points, in the event of a medical emergency.
Nallur was the capital of the old Jaffna kingdom where places of political, religious and cultural importance were built. These include the old Sankiliyan palace, Arumuga Navalar Adheenam, Chellappa Swami samadhi and Nallur Kumaran Temple to name a few.
In 948 A.D, Chief Minister to Chola Kulangai Arya, called Bhuvanekabhahu, first built a temple for Lord Kumaran in Kurukkal Valavu in Nallur. In 1450, Senbaha Perumal, the General of Parakramabahu came from Anuradhapura to conquer Jaffna, and destroyed the temple. Regretting his action, in 1457, he tried to make amends by building the temple in Muthirai Chanthai. During the Portuguese invasion, it was again destroyed. In 1734 it was constructed again in Muthirai Chanthai.
Under Dutch reign, in 1749, due to the efforts of Krishna Subbiah a Brahmin and Ragunatha Mapana Muthaliyar a government official, permission was granted to build the Kumaran temple in its original site in Kurukkal Valavu. The Muslim community inhabiting the premises was rehabilitated and the temple was built. Due to previous incidents, a simple style was chosen rather than a conventional temple.
Only a few thousand devotees gathered to observe the Nallur festival when the LTTE was in control of the area. The LTTE did not stop devotees from attending the festival but the devotees feared that they would be punished if they went too much off limits as Prabhakaran was THE GOD at that time and had to be revered willingly or otherwise. However, Prabhakaran's wife Mathivathini used to visit the Nallur Temple.
The LTTE by its conduct has proved that it gives scant regard to the Hindu religion. Since Pirabakaran got control of the destiny of the Tamil political agitation for more decentralised autonomy for the Tamils, the Hindu religion is experiencing the brunt of the LTTE’s systematic terror attacks.
The murder of the Hindu priest in Batticaloa by the LTTE for performing his religious duties has opened the Pandora’s Box to reveal the whole-scale atrocities LTTE had committed on the Hindu religion.
The LTTE systematically killed over sixteen Hindu priests, last one being Sellaiah Kurukkal Parameswaran in Batticaloa just few days ago.
In the early 1980’s, LTTE killed a 77 years old Hindu saint Narasimman in front of Veerama Kali Amman temple in Nallur by accusing him of having connections with the wealthy Colombo Tamils, whom they considered as informants to the government.
It is very heartening to see so many Tamil Hindu devotees gathered in one place of worship. First, it was many thousands of Catholics at the Madhu Church in the Mannar District, and now this.
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Crowd Power
lalith
Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (8)
at 10:43 on August 19th, 2009
held for the first time since the end of the war? Nonsense. Do some research!
Like in Madhu. People normally visit the festival are held in barbed wire camps. And some pro gov says.
" It is very heartening to see so many Tamil Hindu devotees gathered in one place of worship. First, it was many thousands of Catholics at the Madhu Church in the Mannar District, and now this."
How about the 300.000 Tamils held barbaric conditions against their will in camps by the Sri Lankan Government??? It must be also very heartening for you? To see babies, children and other innocent Tamils suffer under racist Sinhalese Army and Government.
at 10:45 on August 19th, 2009
Hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the recent war in North East Sri Lanka and living in camps are being denied basic human rights including freedom of movement, said Amnesty International on Monday. The organization's Secretary General, Irene Khan, launched the Unlock the Camps campaign at the start the organization's International Council Meeting, a gathering of international delegates in Turkey.
As part of the Unlock the Camps campaign, Amnesty International is posting a video on Facebook, calling on the Sri Lankan government to allow freedom of movement and on the Government of India to monitor the aid pledged to the Sri Lankan government and to press for the immediate transfer of the management of the displaced people camps from the military to the civilian authorities.
Two months after the end of the fighting, the Sri Lankan authorities are still not addressing properly the needs of the newly displaced. The camps are overcrowded and unsanitary.
In addition, these are effectively detention camps. They are run by the military and the camp residents are prevented from leaving them; they are denied basic legal safeguards. The government's claim that it needs to hold people to carry out screening is not a justifiable reason to detain civilians including entire families, the elderly and children, for an indefinite period.
Displaced people have even been prevented from talking to aid workers. With no independent monitors able to freely visit the camps, many people are unprotected and at risk from enforced disappearances, abductions, arbitrary arrest and sexual violence.
According to government figures, the fighting between the Sri Lankan army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) displaced over 409,000 people. At least 280,000 are displaced from areas previously under LTTE control. A dramatic influx of people fleeing the fighting and crossing to government controlled areas took place from March 2009.
The displaced people, including at least 50,000 children, are being accommodated in 41 camps spread over four districts. The majority of the displaced are in Vavuniya District where Manik Farm is the biggest camp.
When United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited some of the camps in May, he said: "I have travelled around the world and visited similar places, but this is by far the most appalling scene I have seen."
While some progress had been made on providing basic needs, much still needs to be done on the right to health, food, water, family reunion and access to relatives.
Amnesty International has also called on the government of Sri Lanka to end restrictions on liberty and freedom of movement; ensure that camps are of a truly civilian nature and administered by civilian authorities, rather than under military supervisions; and give immediate and full access to national and international organizations and observers, including aid agencies, in order to monitor the situation and provide a safeguard against human rights violations.
The Sri Lankan government said on 21 May that the displaced will be resettled in 180 days. But very few have so far been allowed to return to their homes or to join friends or family elsewhere, and people remaining in the camps are not at liberty to leave camp premises.
Amnesty International is calling on the Sri Lanka government to end its policy of forcibly confining people to camps, which amounts to arbitrary detention. The Sri Lankan government must allow persons who require temporary shelter in these facilities to come and go freely.
With assistance and support from the international community and the involvement of displaced people themselves, the Sri Lankan government must set up clear benchmarks and timelines to ensure that displaced people can safely return home or find other durable solutions (such as relocation) as soon as possible.
at 10:44 on August 19th, 2009
FREE THE TAMILS FROM CAMPS
at 19:40 on August 19th, 2009
Tamils will be freed. Terrorist scums remain there, forever.
at 12:02 on August 19th, 2009
It must be also very heartening for you? To see babies, children and other innocent Tamils suffer under racist Sinhalese Army and Government.
When you think of it, yes, it is extremely heartening to note that unborn babies, children and innoncent Tamils are not being used now as 'bombs' to kill born/unborn babies, children and other innocent people.
It is also heartening to note that those who rubbed their hands in silent glee when such barbaric acts were carried out, have now become very compassionate.
at 19:46 on August 19th, 2009
Get the terrorist leaders abroad. Then get the scummy supporters of the LTTE.
at 20:01 on August 19th, 2009
Yes, as soon as possible. When it is possible.
at 20:35 on August 19th, 2009
Source: defence.lk