Welcome to Kataragama Kæle Kendra

Kataragama Deviyo

Valli Amma

Center for the Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge and ashram of the Kataragama Devotees Trust

Kataragama Devotees Trust

Who We Are

The Kataragama Devotees Trust is a non-profit non-political body founded in 1988 by friends and devotees of Kataragama from all religious and ethnic backgrounds. The mission of the KDT is to foster greater appreciation of Kataragama's rich cultural heritage while promoting and protecting its traditions.

The Kataragama Devotees Trust brings together devotees of Kataragama-Skanda from all backgrounds and walks of life who share a common dedication to the principle of unity within diversity that is Kataragama's hallmark. The KDT's unpaid volunteers contribute their time, skills and diverse resources as a modern extension of Kataragama's ancient traditions of dana (generosity) and Rajakariya ('royal service'). The KDT newsletter Bhakti is one such dana or offering to Lord Kataragama and for all devotees.

The KDT has existed an organization since 1988 only when it was founded to spearhead efforts to revive the ancient tradition of Kataragama Pada Yatra, which had fallen into abeyance since 1983 due to ethnic strife. Among the friends of the KDT are the modern custodians of the Kataragama Guru Parampara without whose patronage the KDT would have no legitimacy.

What We Do:

1. Revival and ongoing support of the Kataragama Pada Yatra since 1988;
2. Creation and operation of Kataragama Kæle Kendra Ashram and activities centre of the Kataragama Devotees Trust in Kataragama since 1992;
3. Encouragement and support for associated ashrams across Sri Lanka and South India;

Kataragama Pada Yatra

Kavadi, Mulaittivu dist.

4. Kataragama Research and Publications Project since 1989;
5. Bhakti annual Esala festival souvenir-newsletter since 1990;
6. Murugan Bhakti website since 1997;
7. Production of Kataragama-Skanda Trilogy (1987) and other documentaries;
8. Restoration of neglected shrines;
9. Matru pujas honouring hundreds of Sri Lankan mothers;
10. Assistance to Kataragama swamis, bawas and senior devotees;
11. Press, radio and television coverage of Kataragama activities;
12. Presentation of research articles at professional conferences;
13. Organisational support for the Second International Conference Seminar on Skanda-Murukan, Colombo 2001;
14. Photographic and video documentation of Kataragama traditions;
15. Promotion of traditional arts and crafts;
16. Communications for Peace and Reconciliation programme;
17. First Festival of Lanka in Colombo, December 1989; and
18. Information service for researchers, film artists, pilgrims and tourists.

Our Objectives:

1. To foster peace, harmony and understanding between all members of society by promoting a greater understanding of our common heritage as symbolized in Kataragama.
2. To find new ways of adapting the ancient message of Kataragama to the changing conditions of modern society so that all in society so that all in society - young and old, rich and poor alike - may relish and enjoy the message.
3. To honour the men and women who have protected and preserved the traditions of Kataragama, however humble their circumstances or appearance.
4. To protect our sacred artistic heritage by working to insure that the traditional arts and crafts continue to be taught, practiced and supported at all levels of society.
5. To promote a genuine living synthesis of East and West, tradition and modernity, for the common benefit of all.
6. To promote the exploration and judicious application of the latent powers of the human mind.
7. To do whatever needed in accordance with the above.

Dr. David Bellamy interviews Matara Swami

BHAKTI,the annual newsletter-journal of Kataragama Devotees, is a joint publication of the Kataragama Devotees Trust and Cultural Survival of Sri Lanka since 1990.

Editor: Patrick Harrigan
Production: R. Kumaragurunathan
Printed at: The Meihandan Press Ltd.
161 Sea Street
Colombo-11, Sri Lanka.

Thus begins the Kataragama Esala Perahera

Kataragama Devotees Trust
Board of Trustees

1. Nimalasiri Silva, Executive Trustee
2. Gamini Jayasinghe, Treasurer
3. Manik Sandrasagra, Trustee
4. Mano Chanmugam, Trustee
5. H.H. Izath Nilar, Trustee
6. Patrick Harrigan, Trustee
7. Kingsley Perera, Trustee

Eco-Cultural Sanctuary at Kataragama

At Ulpotha near Embogama in Kurunegala district Cultural Survival of Sri Lanka has created Sri Lanka's sole authentic Eco-Cultural Sanctuary, a working puranagama (ancient hamlet) where holistic principles are an integral part of everyday life. Ulpotha Sanctuary, Sri Lanka, is an olagama, a puranagama whose traditional infrastructure (devale temple & irrigation system) has been restored entirely through private sector funding on a modest scale. Anyone may come and see for him- or herself the extent of Cultural Survival's remarkable success in terms of facilitating sustainable ecological development to promote the welfare of Sri Lankan villagers, the real custodians of Sri Lanka's cultural and environmental heritage.

God Kataragama protected Valli from 'attack' by His brother Ganesh at Sella Kataragama

Eco-Cultural Sanctuary
In the far Southeast of Sri Lanka at the Sacred City of Kataragama, settlers from various communities are encroaching upon a sizable extent of Yala National Park near the Kataragama Mahadevale. Without any traditional organization or livelihood, they depend on environmentally-destructive activities like illicit gemming and tree-felling. But clearly the piecemeal destruction of Deviyange Kæle (the God's own Forest) and desecration of the sacred Menik Ganga are neither in the interest of Sri Lanka nor in the long-term interest of the settlers themselves. Indeed, their sorry plight is symptomatic of a larger process that threatens to destroy what remains of Kataragama's and the Sri Lanka's once-proud eco-cultural heritage.

This is where the Eco-Cultural Sanctuary concept makes perfect sense for implementation in Kataragama as a model showcase of the tremendous potential of the South for culturally-appropriate environmentally- sustainable development. Cultural Survival is ready to design the concept and demonstrate how a sustainable devale-based culture can survive and prosper for centuries to come. Cultural Survival would call the sanctuary Deyangegama, 'the God's own village'.

Features of a proposed Eco-Cultural Sanctuary at Kataragama:

Wanniya-laeto at Kataragama

Declaring the sacred left bank of the Menik Ganga at Kataragama to be an Eco-Cultural Sanctuary involves a gradual restoration of traditional values and lifestyles long associated with traditional rural life in Sri Lanka. Each of Sri Lanka's Sacred Cities encapsules aspects of the island nation's cultural and spiritual inheritance -- and Kataragama exceptionally well-endowed with ancient wisdom traditions that are as alive today as they were thousands of years ago when the Wanniya-laeto ('inhabitants of the Wanni forest) and yakshas (arboreal spirits) alone knew the marvels of island Lanka.

These same ancient traditions find natural application in the sylvan setting of Kataragama, the home of Sri Lanka's hands-down favorite divinity, angel, bodhisattva, prophet -- for Sri Lankan Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims (in that numerical order) all come to Kataragama to pay their respects to the friendly Power who graces Kataragama or Kathir-kamam.

These long-standing and still widely-recognized traditional guidelines to wholesome, healthy and happy life would assume forms appropriate to the sacred setting of Kataragama and the changing face of life in Sri Lanka and anywhere in the global village. Some proposed features of an Eco-Cultural Sanctuary at Kataragama could include: 

• Traditional laws & practices to take precedence over statutory laws;
• Showcase of cultural diversity: Sinhala, Tamil & Muslim live together while preserving their distinct identities paramparas;
• Traditional wattle-and-daub style community centres to coordinate & implement local development strategies;
• Promotion of private investment in pilgrimage-related local cottage industries such as rosaries, vibhuti, and other pilgrims' accessories;
• Eco-tourism: eco-friendly traditional accomodation & meals and accommodation for traditional pilgrims wanting to experience the spirituality of Kataragama in a forest setting;
• Encourage local and foreign visitors wishing to engage in traditional studies to learn traditional arts including cooking and agriculture ;
• Niche marketing of organically-grown garden produce, home-made and home-designed handicrafts;
• Promotion of indigenous health and nutrition practices, protection and judicious use of medicinal forests;
• Certain restrictions on motor traffic within the Sanctuary Zone;
• Protected zone of the Menik Ganga subject to progressive ban on gemming and rock quarrying;
• Progressive ban on electronic sound amplification to in the cultural sanctuary;
• Non-violent conflict resolution through traditional practices like asana deka bana;
• Restrictions on culturally-inappropriate commercial activities (e.g. lottery marketing;
• Moratorium on construction of non-traditional (especially cement, I.e. permanent) buildings;
• Bank credit for families wishing to construct traditional-style dwellings or start up traditional cottage industries based in the Eco- Cultural Sanctuary;
• Fair compensation for families who preserve traditions of performing Rajakariya service;
• Manufacture of pilgrims' bag & clothing items for sale to pilgrims eliminates question of how to market items to people from all corners of Sri Lanka;
• Occupational training for village youth in traditional principles of environmental stewardship;
• Authentic Kataragama-made organic incense manufactory;
• Appropriate marketing strategies for locally-made rosaries, lithographic prints, devotional booklets, etc. including handicraft cooperative.
• Sale of buffalo curd & traditional goods at kiosks in Kataragama town;
• Tutoring foreign students in aspects of Sri Lankan culture, language, lifestyle, cooking, folklore, etc.;
• Promotion of technology transfer through introduction of user-friendly (ie Sinhala and Tamil character-based display) multi-media computer technology;
• Train village youth in traditional principles of environmental stewardship by publicly discussing the causes of environmental destruction;
• Cleaner Menik Ganga water resources through environmental education; participation in 'Sister Rivers' programmes that link efforts to preserve riverine environments in different parts of the globe;
• A Village University campus to offer degree courses in eco-theory and practice, traditional arts and sciences (astrology, medicine, etc.) for local & foreign students;
• Provisions to ensure the sanctuary's integrity and continuity for generations to come;
• Provisions to recognize and protect indigenous intellectual property rights legally -- especially those pertaining directly to Kataragama;
• National and international recognition of Kataragama as a Zone of Peace;

The Deyangegama Eco-Cultural Sanctuary as a Zone of Peace

Since 1989 the Cultural Survival Trust of Sri Lanka has also been actively promoting the concept of developing Kataragama as a Zone of Peace. That is, Kataragama's established identity as a multi-ethnic pilgrimage centre would be consciously leveraged to promote and strengthen ethnic harmony islandwide.

What is a Zone of Peace?

Any geographical site, from a simple shrine or meditation room to a national park or an entire community, may become a 'Zone of Peace' if there is a consensus among the people who use that site that it should be a sanctuary free from weapons, intimidation, terrorism, anger, coercion, bullying and abuse of all kinds whether verbal or physical. It is the essence of Kataragama's traditional atmosphere of inherent grace and mercy, finally.

Like a plant nursery, a Zone of Peace may be regarded as a sheltered environment where peaceful thoughts and acts may grow strong enough to be carried forth to be transplanted into the surrounding social environment. As nurseries of peace or training grounds for new generations of peaceful, responsible citizens, Zones of Peace could play an important role in helping to revitalize Sri Lanka's traditional culture of peace.

Lord Kataragama Skanda

Why create a Zone of Peace?

Indeed, Zones of Peace have been an important part of Asia's and the world's cultural, spiritual and natural heritage since the earliest human ancestors first recognized the sanctity of the earth everywhere but especially at certain sacred sites. Kataragama is a prominent example in terms of its cultural, religious, mythological and historical importance.

Until relatively recent times, there was felt to be little need for Zones of Peace, eco-cultural sanctuaries, or formal codes of acceptable conduct at sacred sites or shrines. However, with the steady intrusion of secular, especially Western, values and with the unbridled growth of commercial activity reaching into every nook and cranny of society including sacred shrines, a consensus is now emerging concerning the need to protect threatened cultural treasures, traditional communities and associated forest habitats as at Kataragama.

Each Zone of Peace or Eco-Cultural Sanctuary will incorporate features suited to that particular locality's environment and cultural history. Some features common to all are:

• A study of the nations's constitutional law should be undertaken with respect to provisions concerning the creation of sanctuaries. In certain instances, it may be necessary to create special statutory provisions.
• A code of conduct appropriate to the designated site should be decided upon and should be made public or gazzetted both within and without the designated sanctuary. Visitors to the sanctuary will be subject to the same code as residents.
• Peace education and non-violent conflict resolution should be an ongoing feature of the public identity of the sanctuary and its resident population.
• Weapons, ammunition, and firecrackers to be banned within the designated sanctuary.
• Each site should have a sign or entrance marker with a logo indicating that it is an Eco-Cultural Sanctuary. Information on a nearby bulletin board or kiosk will explain the Sanctuary's purpose, boundaries, rules and regulations, expected standard of conduct and its sponsoring agencies. The same logo should be used at each Eco-Cultural Sanctuary so the logo and concept become familiar to the public.

• Living Heritage Trust of Sri Lanka
• Naturally at the Taj: Cultural Survival's Samudra Cottage
• Ulpotha Sanctuary: Living the Tradition
• Kataragama Kæle Kendra 1993-94 survey of indigenous people
• Kataragama Kæle Kendra ashram news
• Other Murugan Bhakti ashrams
• Murugan Bhakti home page