Maaviddapuram temple Thirukkaarthikai festival celebrated

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 July 2008, 04:41 GMT]
More than 2000 Saiva devotees participated Sunday in the Thirukkaarthikai festival in the historic Maaviddapuram Kanthasuvaami Koayil located in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam north on the 20th day of the 25-day annual festival. More devotees attended the Sunday festival to perform religious rites compared to the last two years, temple authorities said.

Arrangements had been made for the devotees to enter and return through the SLA check post in Thellippa’lai FDL in Valikaamam.

The devotees who had their National Identity Cards checked first were allowed to enter the HSZ in busses permitted by the SLA.

Devotees were not permitted to use their own vehicles or to take mobile phones, or cameras.

Special Kaavadi worship and religious rites were observed by the devotees in a peaceful atmosphere.

Devotees of this famous temple were not allowed to worship for a long time when it was enclosed in the HSZ of the SLA in Valikaamam north after the 1990 SLA offensives in Jaffna.