Kataragama
Katirgamam | |
|---|---|
| Entrance to the Katirgamam temple Entrance to the Katirgamam temple | |
| Province | Uva Province |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+6 (Summer time) |
Katirgamam (also Katharagama, Katirkamam and Kathirgamam, Template:Lang-si, Template:Lang-ta (Katirkāmam)) is a prehistorical hindu pilgrimage town which was originally popular with the Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu, and indigenous Vedda communities of Sri Lanka and South India. In the last 40 years it has become popular with the Sinhalease Buddhist who have increasingly taken control of the area. The town has Kataragama temple, a shrine dedicated to Murugan Skanda-Murukan also known as Kataragamadeven who is the patron deity of the Tamil lands. Kataragama is situated in the Monaragala District of Uva province, Sri Lanka. It is situated 228 km ESE of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Although Kataragama was a small village in medieval times, today it is a fast developing township surrounded by jungle in the South Eastern region of Sri Lanka. The area also houses the a ancient Kiri Vehera Buddhist stupa. The town has a venerable history dating back to the last centuries of BCE. Since the 1950's the city has undergone many improvements with successive governments investing in public transportation, medical facilities, and business development and hotel services. It adjoins the popular Yala national park.
History
Early history
The general vicinity of Kataragama has yielded evidence of human habitation at least 125,000 years ago. It has also yielded evidence of Mesolithic and Neolithic habitations.[1]
Historic period
During the historic period, the general area was characterized by small reservoirs for water conservation and associated paddy cultivation. Kataragama village is first mentioned in the pre historical literatures and Sri Lankan historical annals known as Mahavamsa written down in the 5th century CE. It provided refuge to many kings from the north when the north was invaded by South Indian kingdoms. It is believed that the area was abandoned around the 13th century.[1]
By the 16th century the Katirgamar shrine at Katirgamam had become a extreamly popular shrine of Skanda-Murukan in South and South East Asia. Local legend holds that Lord Murugan alighted in Kataragama and was smitten by Valli, one of the local aboriginal lasses. After a courtship, they were married in Kathirgamam. This event is taken to signify that Lord Murugan is accessible to all who worship and love him, regardless of their birth or heritage and led to Kathirgamam being considered a sacred site by both the aboriginal Vaddas and the Tamils of Sri Lanka and a temple being established in pre historical times. Since then the town was popular as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus from India and Sri Lanka by the 15 the century. The popularity of the deity at the Kataragama temple was also recorded by the Pali chronicles of Thailand such as Jinkalmali in the 16th century. There are number of legends in both Vadda and Hindu traditions that attribute supernatural events to the very locality.[2] Scholars such as Paul Younger and Heinz Bechert speculate that rituals practiced by the native priests of Kataragama temple betray Vedda ideals of propitiation. [3]
Katirgamam temple
Temple of Syncretism
Originally a Hindu and Vadda pilgrim site, Kataragama has now been turned into a multi-religious sacred city. It now contains an Buddist temple and Islamic Mosque within its temple complex as well. In spite of the differences of caste and creed, many Sri Lankans show great reverence to God Katirgamar. They honor him as a very powerful deity and beg divine help to overcome their personal problems or for success in business enterprises etc., with the fervent hope that their requests would be granted. They make offerings to the God consisting of "Vel" ( divine javelin/spear) or Murugan's vahana or vehicle Mayil the peacock made out of silver or gold. Examples of such offerings can be found in the Kathirgamam temples historical Museum. It is generally believe that God Kataragama actually exists and is vested with extraordinary power to assist those who ever appeal to him with faith and devotion in times of their distress or calamity.
Hindu Katirkamam
Tamil Hindus of Sri Lanka and South India refer to the place as Katirkamam. Lord Katirkaman is associated with Skanda-Murukan. Saivite Hindus of South India call him also as Subrahmanya as well. He is also known as Kandasamy, Katiradeva, Katiravel, Kartikeya, and Tarakajith. Some of these names are derived from the root Katir from Katirkamam. "Katir" means formless light. The Deity is depicted either with six faces and twelve hands, or one face and four hands. Out of love for Lord Murugan and to mitigate bad karma, bhaktars pierce their cheeks and tongues with vels, pull large chariots carrying murthi of Murugan with large hooks that have been pierced through the skin of their backs. This practice is known as kavadi. Murugan's vahana or vehicle is Mayil, the peacock. There is also a related shrine called as Sella Katirkamam dedicated to the beloved elephant-faced God Ganesha nearby, who is known as Lord Murugan's elder brother. The local river namely Manik Ganga or Manika Gangai (River of Gems) functions as a place of ablution where a sacred bath is taken to purify oneself. Local residents declare that one can be healed of ailments by bathing in it not only from its high gem content but also the medicinal properties of the roots of various trees that line the river through the jungle.
Buddhist Kataragama
In the last 30 - 40 years Kathirgama has gain popularity amongs the Buddist of Sri Lanka. Many Sinhala Buddhists of Sri Lanka have started believing that Kataragama deviyo is a guardian deity of Buddhism and he is the presiding deity of Kataragama temple. Kataragama is also one of the 16 principal places of Buddhist pilgrimage to be visited in Sri Lanka. According to the chronicle of Sri Lankan history the Mahawamsa, when the Bo sapling of Bodhi Tree, under which Gotama Buddha attained enlightenment in North India was brought to the city of Anuradhapura 2,300 years ago, the warriors or Kshatriyas from Kataragama were present on the occasion to pay homage and respect.
The Bo tree situated behind the Kataragama temple is one of the eight saplings (Ashta Phala Ruhu Bodhi) of Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradapura, Sri Lanka. This tree has been planted in the 3rd century BC[4]. The Buddhist Kiri Vehera Dagoba which stands in close proximity to the Kataragama devalaya was built by the King Mahasena. According to the legend, Lord Buddha, on his third and the last visit to Sri Lanka, was believed to have met King Mahasena, who ruled over the Kataragama area in 580 BC. It is said that King Mahasena met Lord Buddha and listened to the Buddha's discourse and as a token of gratitude, the Dagoba was built on that exact spot where it now stands. Thus the local Sinhalese Buddhists believe that Kataragama was sanctified by Lord Buddha.
Pre Buddhist origins
The deity at Kataragama is indigenous and long-celebrated in Sri Lankan lore and legend, and originally resides on the top of mountain called Wædahiti Kanda (or hill of the indigenous Vedda people) just outside of the Kataragama town. Since ancient times an inseparable connection between the Kataragama God and his domain has existed. At one time the local deity was identified with God Saman, a guardian deity of Buddhism and Sri Lanka.
As was the Sinhalese tradition, local ancestors, rulers and kings, who did a great service to the country or community were ordained as deities. According to the legendary hisrtory, God Saman was also an ancient ruler of Deva people in the Sabaragamuwa area of Sri Lanka. Therefore some believe that King Mahasena, who built Kiri Vehera in Kataragama later came to be worshiped as God Kataragama.
Till today the indigenous Vedda people come to venerate at the temple complex from their forest abodes. As a link to the Vedda past the temple holds its annual festival, that celebrates the God's courtship and marriage to a Vedda princess, in July to August.
Education
There are numbers of local government schools that provide education to primary, secondary and higher secondary students in the Sinhala medium.
Population
Since its abandonment, during the 1800’s the population of the village did not exceed over a few dozen but since the 1950’s the town has experienced and increase in population. Most of town’s residents are Sinhalese apart from residents of nearby Tanjanagaram who are Sri Lankan Tamils. During the months of July and August the population swells to a few hundred thousand due to the annual festival held in the honor of the deity. Kataragama has a total population of over 20,000 (2010).[5]
| Ethnicity | Population | % Of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Sinhalese | 19,812 | 94.64 |
| Sri Lankan Tamils | 921 | 4.40 |
| Indian Tamils | 56 | 0.27 |
| Sri Lankan Moors | 108 | 0.51 |
| Others (including Burgher, Malay) | 38 | 0.18 |
| Total | 20,935 | 100 |
Source: Statistical Information of Kataragama Divisional Secretariat
Transport
Most of the many thousands who visit Kataragama travel by vehicles these days. Even today, despite the lure of modern transport, hundreds of dedicated pilgrims stick to the ancient practice of journeying to Kataragama on foot.[6]
In 1992, it was proposed to extend the railway from Matara to Kataragama and beyond. The Kataragama railway extension is currently being constructed under a three phase accelerated development program. The first phase of the construction has already begun and will consist of the 27 km stretch from Matara to Beliatta costing 60 million rupees; construction has already commenced on the bridge over the Nilwala River by the State Engineering Corporation. The entire project is expected to take six years to complete and will cost around three billion rupees.The project is funded by the Chinese government and it is expected to be completed by 2015. [7]
References
- ^ a b Jayaratne, D.K. (May 5, 2009). "Rescue Archeology of Ruhuna, Veheralgala project". Peradeniya University. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ Pathmanathan, S (September 1999). "The guardian deities of Sri Lanka:Skanda-Murgan and Kataragama". The journal of the institute of Asian studies. The institute of Asian studies.
- ^ Bechert, Heinz (1970). "Skandakumara and Kataragama: An Aspect of the Relation of Hinduism and Buddhism in Sri Lanka". Proceedings of the Third International Tamil Conference Seminar. Paris: International Association of Tamil Research.
- ^ "Kataragama". Travel Sri Lanka. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
- ^ "Kataragama Divisional Secretariat". Government of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
- ^ "On Foot by Faith to Kataragama". The Sunday Leader.
- ^ "Work to Begin on China-Funded Rail Line in Sri Lanka". Railway Technology.com. Retrieved 6 October 2010.