VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya/ Katrakama Temple, ( Kathirkamam ) Periya Kovil / கதிர்காமம் பெரிய கோவில், Kataragama/ கதிர்காமம், Sri Lanka.

Saturday 27 August 2022

Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Dewalaya/ Katrakama Temple, ( Kathirkamam ) Periya Kovil / கதிர்காமம் பெரிய கோவில், Kataragama/ கதிர்காமம், Sri Lanka.

The Visit to this Kandy Kathirkamam Murugan temple at Kataragama, Sri Lanka was a part of Sri Lanka’s ( Ezha Nadu ) Paadal Petra sthalangal Visit scheduled between 28^th November to 2^nd December 2013. Utilizing this opportunity, we have Visited some, Shiva, Murugan, Amman Temples and Epic Ramayan associated sites of Sri Lanka. The direction sign board also says that Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya. The entrance arch the neon light records this temple name as "கதிர்காமம் பெரிய கோவில்".

Of all the celebrated shrines to the youthful god Skanda-Kumara or Murugan (Tamil: ‘tender one'), none enjoys a reputation for sanctity and mystery like that of Kataragama (Sinhala; Kataragama), the jungle shrine in remote southeastern Sri Lanka. To this day, an inviolable curtain of secrecy surrounds the inscrutable activities of Kataragama Skanda, whose Esala (July-August) festival is celebrated by Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and indigenous Vedar forest-dwellers alike.

To scholars and devotees alike, Kataragama occupies a hallowed place among the shrines of the ever-youthful patron god of war, poetry, love, and mystery. Thanks in part to its isolation on the margins of Sinhala. Tamil, and Muslim societies, Kataragama preserves an ensemble of archaic beliefs and ritual practices, much of which date from remote antiquity. As such, Kataragama is a veritable fountain of information about timeless mysteries that were once common to all peoples worldwide.

The 15th Century saint Arunagirinathar praises Sri Murugan of Kathirkamam, as....

புரிசைசூழ் செய்ப்பதிக் குரியசா மர்த்யசற்

புருஷவீ ரத்துவிக் ரமசூரன்

புரளவேல் தொட்டகைக் குமரமேன் மைத்திருப்

புகழையோ தற்கெனக் கருள்வோனே

கரியயூ கத்திரட் பலவின்மீ திற்சுளைக்

கனிகள்பீ றிப்புசித் தமராடிக்

கதலிசூ தத்தினிற் பயிலுமீ ழத்தினிற்

கதிர்கா மக்கிரிப் பெருமாளே

…. திருப்புகழ்.. அருணகிரிநாதர்

Moolavar : Sri Murugan

It is believed that there is no idol or Vel, but a Shatakona Yanthra ( which is not shown to Public ) is in side the sannidhi and we have to worship the screen / curtain cloths printed with the respective gods. In Murugan temple large size picture of Sri Valli, Devasena with Murugan on peacock vahana, printed on the screen.

The temple complex consists of Buddha, Vinayagar and Sri Murugan. On the right side separate sannadhis for Vishnu, Bhairavar, Devasena and Guru peedam where we can see the 7 Siddhar jeeva Samadhis. Valli Sannidhi, Bhadrakali Amman, Sivan sannidhi are opposite to main temple.

ARCHITECTURE

The 'building is a simple structure of two apartments and with no embellishments or show of grandeur. It has not undergone any major structural alterations, during this long period of over 2,000 years since its construction.

HISTORY AND LEGENDS

From the article by W. Lionel Fernando, first published in Kataragama and its Festivals 1985

According to legendary history Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya (at right) was built by King Dutugemunu around 160 years B.C. in fulfillment of a vow to defeat King Elara in battle. It was endowed with large extent of land by King Dutugemunu for its maintenance and subsequent monarchs did likewise.

Rubeiro in his History of Ceylon says that 'four leagues inland from this spot ( the salterns in Hambantota ) is a Pagoda held in great reverence by the Grutiles; here are preserved the offerings which had been made for many ages, consisting of gold, jewels and precious stones and 500 armed men are always maintained in its defence”.

This was in 1642 when Rubeiro was one of the 150 Portuguese and 2,000 Lascarins who made a vain attempt to locate this Pagoda and plunder its wealth, but “were forced to turn back the way we had come without effecting anything and without even seeing the Pagoda, which is called Catergao”.

An article by - professor, SENARATH PARANAVITHANA

(EPIGRAPHIA ZEYLANICA, V0L-III. , PAGE 212.)

KATARAGAMA [1] is one of the most celebrated places of pilgrimage in Ceylon, sacred alike to the Buddhists as well as to the Hindus. To the former, it is one of the ‘sixteen great places’ at which the Buddha, during his third visit to the island, set is meditation. To the latter, it is the abode of Skanda, the youthful and fiery god of war. Kājaragāma, as the place is called in the pāli writings, was one of the earliest settlement of the Sinhalese in this island. In the third century B.C., it was already the seat of a kŞatriya clan whose representatives were among the distinguished personages assembled at Anurādhapura to pay homage to the branch of the sacred Bo-tree brought to Ceylon by Sańghamittā, the daughter of the great Indian emperor AŚoka [2]. One of the eight shoots which sprang up from this Bo-tree was planted at Kataragama; and thus the place became a centre of the Buddhist faith [3] at very early date. The foundation of Mahāgāma, about ten miles to the south, by Mahānāga, brother of Devānampiya Tissa, seems to have eclipsed the fame of Kataragamal ; for , from that time up to the eleventh century, the place is mentioned but once in the Mahāvamsa. Dappula I, one of the best known of the rulers of Ruhuṇa, who had also a brief tenure of authority at Anurādhapura (642 A.D), is said to have founded a monastery at Kataragama[4] .

In the first half of the eleventh century, Kataragama was, for a short period, of some moment in the affairs of the island. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese leaders of the time against the irresistible tide of Coḷa imperialism; and from there stared that movement which, after varying fortunes, resulted in the liberation of the island from the Coḷa yoke. Kataragama was, the scene of several hotly contested battles between the Sinhalese generals and the invading Coḷas on the one hand; and one of the other, of Kassapa the Kesadhātunāyaka against Kitti, the rising young hero who afterwards restored the sovereignty of the Sinhalese and ascended the throne of Poḷonnaruva as Vijayabāhu I. During these campaigns, the town was sacked by the invaders; and owing to this reason, as well as to the extension of Vijayabāhu’s activities to a wider sphere, the place seems to have sunk into comparative insignificance for it never again figures in the history of the island [5]

The shrine of the Kataragama god (see plate 20) which attracts such a large number of votaries annually from all parts of the island as well as from India, is a structure of modern origin [6]; and has no pretensions whatever to architectural beauty. It stands in the center of a spacious enclosure within which there are also an old Bo-tree supposed to be identical with the one planted during the reign of Devānampiya Tissa, a Buddhist image house of modern style and several minor shrines dedicated to the worship of Skanda’s wives and brother. An inscribed pillar (A.S.I. 490), of which more will be said in the sequel, stands in front of image house. A number of ancient stones are lying about the place; but these have all been brought here, a few years ago, from the grounds of the kirivehera.

The dāgäba known as Kirivehera (see plate 21) about half a mile to the north of the devāle, is traditionally said to have been founded by Mahānāga (circa third century B.C). On some of the bricks fallen down from the dome, there are Brāhmi letters of about the first century B.C., inscribed as masons marks. And, as will be seen later, one of the inscriptions at the place records its enlargement in the first or second century A.D. Therefore, this stūpa may well be ascribed to a very early date, though we may not accept the tradition in its entirety. The monument itself is about the size of the Mirisaväṭiya dāgäba in Anurādhapura and stands on an artificially raised terrace, to which flights of steps lead on the four cardinal points. The harmmikā and the chatrāvalῑ have fallen down and the facing of the dome, too, is incomplete. Restoration work has recently been started and has now proceeded about half way up the dome. There are two inscriptions near this stūpa: one (A.S.I. 488) on a slab standing some 50 ft. to the south of the main entrance, and the other (A.S.I. 489) on a slab lying on the pavement now broken into four fragments of which one is missing.

________________________________________

[1] The Temple of Kataragama has been often described. For a good account of the place, giving references to previous writers, see Manual for Uwa Province by Herbert White, Colombo, 1893, pp.35-53. See also The Worship of Muruka by the late Sri Ponnambalam Arunachalam in the J.R.A.S., C.B., No-77, p.234 ff.

[2] Mahāvamsa, ch. xix, v. 54.

[3] Ibid., v. 62.

[4]see Mahāvamsa , ch. xiv, v. 45.

[5] Mahāvamsa, ch. lvii, vv .2, 67, 68, 70, 74, ch.lvii, v. 5.

[6] According to the tradition, a shrine of Skanda was built at Kataragama by Duṭṭagāmaṇi in the first century B.C. in fulfillment of a vow made by him to that deity when he started on his memorable campaign against the Tamil usurper Elāḷa who was ruling at Anurādhapura. The literature, both Sinhalese and Tamil, connecting Skanda with Kataragama, is of recent origin; and there are, at the place, no vestiges whatever of the prevalence of a Hindu cult in early days. Therefore, this tradition may well be doubted; especially in view of the fact that there is a tendency among the Sinhalese villages to ascribe every possible religious foundation to the munificence of that pious monarch. The shrine has always been, and still is, under the supervision of Sinhalese priests (Kapurālas) ; and in the annual festival, I was informed by the priest the ceremonies connected with the Bo-tree and the dāgäba take precedence to those of the god.

As per the Historians the present temple was built in 1634 CE by the King Rajasinghe – II.

As per the Historians, the Nayaka king Sri Vikrama Rajasinghe, who was a Telugu by birth, but can speak Tamil, transferred the power of the temple from Singhalese Buddhists to Tamils. After independence from British, once again power of control was transferred to Buddhists Theravada sect.

LEGENDS

The hunter people are given importance in this temple since Valli belongs to Veduvar Clan /kulam ( Hunters ).

This is the temple of Lord Karthikeya Subramaniam at Kataragama. In a legend of Ramayana, Lord Karthikeya was requested to go to the battlefield by Lord Indra on the last day of war. This was done to protect Lord Rama from the wrath of Brahma asthram shot by King Ravana which otherwise would have weakened Lord Rama. Brahmaasthram aimed at Lord Rama for the second time was rendered useless by the presence of Lord Karthikeya.

This is a sacred place not only for Hindus, but also for the Buddhists. The interview with Ortaho, one of the Buddhists monk says...

Soratha: According to our Sri Lankan tradition, Lord Buddha visited sixteen places in Sri Lanka during his lifetime, including Kataragama. On that occasion, Mahasena (or Mahaghosa), the local ruler of Kataragama, duly welcomed the Lord and his retinue and found delight in His sublime Teachings.

Many Buddhists believe that the Kataragama God is a bodhisattva ( Buddha-to-be ) having the power and compassion to intervene in the lives of those who appeal to him. He is the guardian and friend of Sri Lankan Buddhists especially, but he will help people of any religion or nationality.

It makes no difference if one is a Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, or what. Respect him Long, long ago a local Kataragama girl, named Valli Amma, took a severe vow that she would not marry or even touch any man except the Kataragama God himself. By the power of her pure vow, the god came to her and helped her to fulfill her vow, even though it meant marrying her.and have firm faith in him, and he can intervene to settle personal problems that interfere with one's spiritual growth. There are tried and proven ways to obtain his help.

This god has been living here as long as we have, maybe even longer. He never harms anyone, except those who aim to do injustice or harm to others.

We consider god Kataragama to be one of the Four Guardian Deities of the Sinhala pantheon, perhaps the most powerful one of them all. If Hindus and others wish to worship him, we Buddhists have no objection. He is great enough to satisfy everyone, whatever their background or beliefs are.

Soratha further told that Lord Buddha did not reject deva worship. In fact, in the Majjhima Nikaya he advises monks meditating in the forest to practice devatanusati; that is, to give proper respect to local divinities in order to make steady progress in samadhi.

Lord Buddha himself met and accepted the salutations of major deities like Brahma, Indra and others. He never denied the existence of devas. He was a great friend to humans and non-humans alike.

Some of the legends associated with Kataragama deviyo are not known in India about Skanda; and the prevailing belief among the Sinhalese is that he is one of the four guardian deities of Ceylon and is destined to become a Buddha in the future. Therefore, we may be justified in concluding that Kataragama deviyo was originally one of the local deities or Bodhisattvas of the Sinhalese Buddhist; and in process of time was identified with the Purāṇic deity Skanda, some centuries ago.

Hence Buddhists believe that the bricks of Kiri Vihera stupa are over 2200 years old. It is built on the site where Lord Gautama Buddha is said to have addressed King Maha Sena 2500 years ago. Buddhists believe that god Kataragama is the same powerful bodhisattva or “awakening being” who ruled then as Kinga Mahasena ‘who has a great army’, also a title of war god Skanda.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Once in a year Lord Murugan will come out and marry Valli near Valli Sannadhi. That time also Yantha will not visible, since it will be completely covered with flowers.

Worship at Kataragama

The foremost feature of worship of the Kataragama deity is that it is aniconic, i.e. without icons, idols, or images. To His Tamil devotees, the deity is regarded as the Supreme Identity (Tamil: kantazhi), which is explained as ‘reality transcending all categories, without attachment, without form, standing alone as the Self (naccinārkkiniyar). As such, only abstract symbols of His mystery (Skt: rahasya) are worshipped, such as the vel and the sadkona yantra (hexagram).

For uncounted centuries, the custodians of the Kataragama shrine have conducted non-agamic, aniconic modes of worship including archaic rites which, the tradition maintains, have come down from the original inhabitants of prehistoric Lanka, the Veddas (Tamil: vedar). At Least until, recently, the Sinhalese kapuralas (priests, who explicitly trace their lineage back to the Veddas) still exercised their prerogative to hunt for deer in Deviyange Kaele (Sinhala: 'God's Own Forest') and to make an offering of the venison to the god on Saturdays. To this day, the Vedda or Wanniyal-aeto people / Hunters of Lanka regard Kande Yaka, ‘the Spirit of the Mountain', as their god of the hunt who still extends guidance and protection to those who invoke Him. As a reminder to all that the shrine and its traditions were originally theirs, Veddas still attend the annual festival where they ritually ambush the god's procession and extract tribute from the Sinhalese custodians of the shrine.

Local tradition maintains that King Duttugemunu (2nd Cent. B.C.E.) established (or, more likely, formalized and endowed an existing system of) rajakariya or ‘service to the king' whereby the prehistoric mystery rites were perpetuated in 505 hereditary roles incorporated into the annual fortnight-long festival in the month of Esala (July-August). For centuries, the Esala festival has attracted thousands of pilgrims who come from as far as Jaffna in the north or even from India including, notably Saint Arunagirinathar (13th-14th Cent. C.E., no it is 15^th Century CE), who composed at least fourteen Thiruppugazh songs about Kataragama and one about Tirukonamalai (Trincomalee) which is en route. Until the nineteenth century, the pilgrimage used to attract large numbers of Muslim faqirs from India as well, but today it consists mainly of Tamil Hindu villagers from the East Coast.