Sacred shrine
(tirtha) devoted to the deity Skanda in his southern Indian avatar as Murugan,
situated in the extreme southeastern portion of Sri Lanka.
The location is famous for being outside of India's mainland
and for being a significant Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage destination.
According to legend, the site was founded when Skanda went
hunting in the Sri Lankan forests, fell in love with a native lady called
Valli, and pledged to stay in her house forever.
Skanda, the Hindu pantheon's mighty deity, is the son of the
god Shiva.
His friendship with Valli demonstrates his openness and
devotion to his devo shirts (bhakta).
The yearly Kataragama pilgrimage, which takes place in
July–August, serves as a stage for demonstrating these qualities: Many individuals
come to seek medical cure or release from suffering, while others come to
fulfill promises made in exchange for advantages previously gained.
Carrying the kavadi, a yoke kept in place by hooks piercing
the skin; piercing the mouth or cheeks with small arrows, one of Skanda's
emblems; or hanging from hooks inserted in the back and thighs are all examples
of severe self-mortification.
These devout followers are said to be rewarded for their
suffering with a state of euphoria in which they are free of pain and bleeding.
Devotees are also said to be mouthpieces for the deity
Skanda when in this state of ecstasy.
Other pilgrims seek them guidance on every possible
situation, believing that Skanda will provide them with the best appropriate
solution.
For further detail, read Paul Wirz's Kataragama: Ceylon's
Holiest Place, published in 1966, and Bryan Pfaffenberger's "The
Kataragama Pilgrimage," published in Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 28,
No. 2, 1979.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
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