SLA curfew hinder devotees attending Nalloor temple festival

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 August 2008, 05:25 GMT]
Though Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna had earlier announced a curfew lift in the entire Jaffna peninsula enabling Saiva devotees attend the annual Nalloor Kanthasuvami Koayil festival, the curfew remained imposed as usual in the rest of the peninsula except within Nalloor District Secretariat area and Jaffna Municipal Council limit, resulting in less number of devotees being present Thursday evening on the 23rd day ‘Chappa’ram’ festival, sources in Jaffna said.

As bus services to the rest of the peninsula were suspended at 5:00 p.m as usual devotees from these outer areas were unable to attend the Chappar’am festival in which Lord Murukan and his wife Goddess Theivaanai were taken in procession around the temple on beautifully decorated Chapparam.

The number of devotees attending was markedly less, the temple authorities said.

They expressed hope that devotees in their thousands will be attending the Chariot Festival Friday morning.

Chronology: