Long before history came to be recorded, people the world over have recognized the close association between food and life. Human society may be said to have its roots in the systematic sharing of food.
In the dry jungle of remote southeastern Sri Lanka lies Kataragama or Katir-kamam, the (place of) 'light and love-passion', a shrine complex of exceptional antiquity
It is well known that besides Buddhism the cult of a number of gods forms an important part of Sinhala religious practice. In most of the earlier studies on this subject
In the Buddhist tradition, Kataragama is one of the sixteen sacred sites in the island.21 One of oldest monastic centres in the country was established there.
Among the Hindu festivals of Ceylon the Kataragama festival is looked upon with great veneration. The annual festival commences on the new moon of Adi.
From the mystic mountain of the gods: Kailasa in southern Tibet, to the southern tip of the last landfall this side of Oceania, there are many sacred places dedicated to deities of the Hindu pantheon.
The worship of Vel1 holds a unique position in the cult of Skanda-Murukan. In many of the Murukan temples of Sri Lanka, the Vel is the mulamurti the presiding deity
Among the temples dedicated to the worship of Skanda-Murukan in Sri Lanka the one at Kataragama is one of the oldest and certainly the most venerated one.
Eastern Sri Lanka is a region wherein various ethnic groups, including the tribal Veddas, have long been living together. Tamil speaking Hindus are the majority group in Batticaloa.
Tamil-speaking Hindus relate the shrine to the war god Skanda, who is also called Murukan. Religious Singhalese Buddhists revere Skanda as second in importance only to the Buddha.
Kataragama is a unique temple of god Skanda- Murukan amongst all the temples in Sri Lanka. It is a place where all ethnic groups and religious cultures meet.
"The worship of God Murukan," is continuously one of the most significant religious characteristics among the various communities of Ilankai (Lanka/Ceylon/Sri Lanka) in general.