600 pilgrims on foot from east reach Kathirkaamam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 03:38 GMT]
About six hundred pilgrims from several areas of the eastern province entered Kathirkaamam scared area Sunday evening after two weeks of foot pilgrimage through Yala sanctuary to attend the annual festival Kathirkaamam Murugan Temple. The festival is scheduled to commence on July 4 with the flag hoisting event.

Pathmasiri Rajapakse, Senior Advisor to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse, Lagugala Pradesiya Sabah Chairman, J.M.T.M. Ravindrakumara, and Ukanthai Special Task Force Unit Inspector, Wasanthakumar, received the pilgrims, media sources said.

About two thousand police personnel and two thousand Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were deployed in the sacred area to ensure security to devotees and maintain law and order during the festive season.

The festival ends with the water cutting ceremony scheduled to be held on July 18.

Four schools in Kathirkaamam area will be closed from July 2 to July 21 to provide accommodation to police personnel and army soldiers