My Trek Through Holy Sites

 

My Trek through Holy Sites

Dr. V. Venkateswaran

 

 

Kittangi, Kathiresan & Sivan Kovils

My hometown Galle reminds me of the old Sivan Kovil (Temple) near the Park, the Kathiresan Kovil in Kaluwella wedged in between the two Kittangis, the Hindu Temple in Unawatuna (where Poojas are done only for 3 days in a year) and the Jungle (Kaattu) Kovil near Mahamodera in Galle, where Pooja is done only 1 day in a year. Strangely, the 3 major schools in Galle, St Aloysius, Richmond and Mahinda are all on hill tops.

St. Mary's Cathedral Galle

Times were spent sitting at the foot of Mt Calvary where we spent hours chatting and genuflecting at the statue of 'Our Lady of Fatima' on the way up to St Mary's Cathedral.

  

In Ceylon, Adam's Peak/Siri Pada/Sivanadipadam was climbed few times with the same set of friends, a mix of Buddhists, Christians and Hindus. Some were couples, couples were made, love affairs cemented. We used to stop at 'Nala Thanni' , foot of Hatton, start the climb at night after a bath in the freezing lake to reach the top at sunrise where the rising sun cast a beautiful shadow of the peak into space. Going uphill, 'Siri pade samanala kanda pene' must have been sung at least 25 times. A cup of tea 25 cents at the foot became Rs 5/= at the top. Under the slab of rock was apparently the footprint of the Bodhisatva, Adam and Siva. But we were all sceptical. We touched the slab, worshipped it, rang the bell and started our tiring descent. After a day's break we came by bus to Galle, totally exhausted.

 

Kalutara Bodhiya

Of course, on the way up and down to Galle, we paid our Sammadam at the Kalutura Bodhi.

 

Kataragama Kovil, Mosque, Kathiramalai, 

The 'Kathira Malai' in Kataragama had been climbed a few times. The Sella Kataragama was another 4-mile trek, naturally done about 2 to 3 times a year. In Kataragama, there was a small but famous Muslim Shrine/Dharga too. 

Sella Kataragama

The Sella Kataragama was another 4-mile trek, naturally done about 2 to 3 times a year. 

Devundara Devalaya

The visit to Devundra near Matara during the Festival was akin to the visit of the Poson festival in Kandy. The Bana Preaching and the Pirith chanting gave a Holy atmosphere.

In Atchuvely in Jaffna, praying alongside the Rosarian Monks who have taken up the vow of silence lifted up our spiritual outlook, also wine is made at their Tolagatty Farm. Their Headquarters were started in Ceylon.

 

 

 

 

Nagadeepa Temple, Keerimalai Kovil, Muneeswaran Kovil, Thirukoneswaran Kovil

Further in Sri Lanka, Nagadeepa, (Nainativu) Analaitivu, Keerimalai, Munneeswaram, Thiruketheeswam  (near Paalaaru/River of milk) and Thirukoneswaram near Trincomalee, Ravanan vettu (an apparent cut in the rock by Ravana) had to be visited.

 

Nagadeepa Kovil, Analaitivu Kovil

Ravanan vettu Koneswaran Temple Trincomalee

Seetha Amman Kovil

Ravanan vettu in Trincomalee and Sita Eliya in Nuwara Eliya, where Sita was kept imprisoned by Ravana but unharmed were interesting mythological sites.

 Of the 5 Holy Ishwarams (Holy sites in Hinduism, these 3 are in Sri Lanka and the 2, Rameswaram and Kalahasti are in India. 

 

Ruvanweliseya, Polonnaruwa Buddha Images, Kelaniya Temple, Temple of the Tooth, Sigiriya, Dambulla Cave Temple

Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kelaniya, Temple of the Tooth and Sigiriya had all been visited. Sleeping under the stars on a mat and pillow and under the Ruwan Vali Saya was an experience in spite of the mosquitos feeding on us. The Dambulla Caves with the statues of the Bodhisatva in various poses was so awe inspiring.

The Dansalas on Poson Poya days fed thousands.

 

Hiniduma Shrine, St. Anthony's Kochchikade, St. Mary’s Bambalapitiya, Christ Church

 The Hiniduma Catholic Church was visited during the feast and the famous St Anthony's in Kochikade. St. Mary's in Bambalapitiya and the famous Anglican Christ Church in Galle Face Green.

Vel Festival in Colombo

The Adi Vel festivals in Galle and Colombo and pulling the Adi Vel Chariot (Ratham) were mainly by the Sinhalese not by the Tamils. One could see no discrimination.

 So logically, I have done enough pilgrimages in Ceylon/ Sri Lanka itself. 

 Once I left the shores of my mother country, the world was my oyster.

  

England

St, Paul;s, Westminster Abbey, Salisbury

My stay in England had me frequently visit St Paul's Cathedral and Westminister Abbey. The Salisbury Cathedral was visited only once being out of the way.

 

France

 

Sacre Cour, Chapel of the Medallion, Ganpathy Temple, Buddhist Temple, Notre Dame Cathedral

 Just across England in France, climbing up 'Sacre Cour' was an exhilarating experience and saying the Prayers along with lighting candles and making wishes gave us hope. The Chapel of the Medallion was not well known but the taxis knew how to take us there. Not far from there were the Hindu Ganapathy Temple and the Buddhist Temple. My wife and I were lucky to have seen and prayed at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris before it burned down. Unfortunately, we couldn't make it to Lourdes, because we couldn't get our return tickets.

 Rome

 

Vatican Easter Sunday Mass (1969)

We were in Rome on Easter Sunday 1969. So we took the opportunity to attend Easter Sunday Mass at the Vatican, said by the Pope and lucky to be seated in the front pew. A very Great Blessing. Imagine the crowd. We almost never got out of the crowd, except for a Sri Lankan Catholic Priest who led us through the alleyways of the Church, summoned a taxi, put us in with instructions to the driver to take us to the hotel and then to the airport and no fare was charged. At the customs, we were almost held back because we had with us a Statue of the Holy Family, blessed by the Pope which they thought we were smuggling. Eventually we were allowed to pass.

 

Egypt

 

Grand Mosque

On our visits to Egypt, the visit to the biggest mosque was a must and going under an arch there was the tradition while making a wish.

 

Iran

 

Pink, Vakil Mosques

Iran, where we lived for 5 years gave us the fortune of visiting the most beautiful mosques in the country if not the world. The Pink Mosque and Vakil Mosque were the most beautiful in Shiraz. But we had to follow a strict Dress Code to visit the Mosque.

 India

 

Mahalakshmi Temple

 On our entry into India, at Bombay, the Lakshmi Temple had to be and was visited. The prosperity of Bombay is due to the location of this Temple.

Having visited and prayed at many places of worship, we could not visit Benares, the most Holy Hindu Temple, on the banks of Mother Ganga. It is an irony.

  

Synagogues, London, Paris, Rome, Tehran

We made it a point to visit the Synagogue in every major city that we went. Only one city, Singapore wouldn't allow us The Synagogue in Cochin, Kerala was a small compact one in Jew Town, managed by a Lay Rabbi.

 

Mary MacKillop Chapel

Back in Sydney we usually attended the English Sunday Mass at the Shrine of St. Mary McKillop, the only Australian saint. Beatified and Canonized by the Pope here, to plead for somebody very near and dear to us. I almost forgot that.

I trust that I have not forgotten anything.