Vel, Murugan's weapon More about the Kataragama Devotees Trust
Kataragama Deviyo
Kataragama Deviyo
[Valli Amma]
Valli Amma
[Kataragama Pada Yatra 1997]
Kataragama Pada Yatra
[Kavadi boy, Mullaitivu]
Kavadi, Mulaittivu dist.

Kataragama Devotees Trust

  1. KDT: Who We Are
  2. KDT: What We Do
  3. KDT: Our Aims
  4. More information . . .

Who We Are

The Kataragama Devotees Trust is a non-profit non-political body founded in 1988 by friends and devotees of Kataragama from all religious and ethnic backgrounds. The mission of the KDT is to foster greater appreciation of Kataragama's rich cultural heritage while promoting and protecting its traditions.

The Kataragama Devotees Trust brings together devotees of Kataragama from all backgrounds and walks of life who share a common dedication to the principle of unity within diversity that is Kataragama's hallmark. The KDT's unpaid volunteers contribute their time, skills and diverse resources as a modern extension of Kataragama's ancient traditions of dana (generosity) and Rājakāriya ('royal service'). The KDT website Kataragama.org is one such dāna or offering to Lord Kataragama and for all devotees.

The KDT has existed an organization since 1988 when it was founded to spearhead efforts to revive the ancient tradition of Kataragama Pada Yatra, which had fallen into abeyance since 1983 due to ethnic strife. Among the friends of the KDT are the modern custodians of the Kataragama Guru Parampara, without whose patronage the KDT would have no legitimacy.

What We Do:

Service activities of KDT volunteers to date have included:

Our Objectives:

  1. To foster peace, harmony and understanding between all members of society by promoting a greater understanding of our common heritage as symbolized in Kataragama.
  2. To find new ways of adapting the ancient message of Kataragama to the changing conditions of modern society so that all in society so that all in society - young and old, rich and poor alike - may relish and enjoy the message.
  3. To honour the men and women who have protected and preserved the traditions of Kataragama, however humble their circumstances or appearance.
  4. To protect our sacred artistic heritage by working to insure that the traditional arts and crafts continue to be taught, practiced and supported at all levels of society.
  5. To promote a genuine living synthesis of East and West, tradition and modernity, for the common benefit of all.
  6. To promote the exploration and judicious application of the latent powers of the human mind.
  7. To do whatever needed in accordance with the above.
Kataragama Esala Perahera begins
Thus begins the Kataragama Esala Perahera
Inauguration of the KDT, 1988
Seven founder-trustees of the KDT, 1988
David Bellamy interviews Matara Swami
Dr. David Bellamy interviews Matara Swami

BHAKTI,the annual newsletter-journal of Kataragama Devotees, is a joint publication of the Kataragama Devotees Trust and Cultural Survival of Sri Lanka since 1990.

Editor: Patrick Harrigan
Production: R. Kumaragurunathan
Printed at: The Meihandan Press Ltd.
161 Sea Street
Colombo-11, Sri Lanka.

Kataragama Devotees Trust
Board of Trustees
  1. Mano Chanmugam (1988)
  2. Gamini Jayasinghe (1988)
  3. Izath Nilar (1988)
  4. Subodhini Nirmalingam (1988)
  5. Manik Sandrasagra (1988)
  6. Nimalasiri Silva (1988)
  7. Mudiyanse Tennekoon (1988)
  8. Patrick Harrigan (1990)
  9. Kingsley Perera (1998)

For more information about related activities of the Kataragama Devotees Trust , visit these pages:
Send your comments to the web site curator Patrick Harrigan kataragama@gmail.com