Anamals rescued in July 2019

The tiny squirrel was returned back to its mom a few days later it was fond, and the bird (Crow) chicks were handed over to the Pinnawala zoo, where they had been nursed and released. 

DAY 06 of Katharagama Pada Yathra ; 05th of July, 2019

“The Katharagama Pada-yathra” is an annual pilgrimage done mainly by Hindu-Tamils in honor of Lord Kadhiratian (God of Katharagama). Some pilgrims walk all the way as far from Jaffna to the secret Devalaya at Katharagama, covering more than 500 kilometers on foot.  The most difficult and dangerous part of this journey is no doubt the approximately 100km stretch from Okanda to Katagamuwa, where the pilgrims have to cross the Kumana & Yala National parks. The park gates are kept open for a limited number of days simultaneous to this Katharagama festive season, and the Wildlife Department officials, Security forces and Local Government authorities of the area operate a special program during this period providing pilgrims with drinking water and other assistance at various points within the jungle. There are also a few volunteer groups providing medical assistance and operating ‘dan-sel’ donating meals to the pilgrims. Other than that, all pilgrims old and young cross this forest where wild animals roam frequently with the pure faith that Gods would protect them till the end of the journey, chanting “Aero Hara”, and calling each other ‘Sami’ (Godly person) with the belief God in everyone who as come to help them on their journey. Our group of nine took five nights and six days to complete the journey from Okanda to Katharagama (apex. 110 km), as we went in a slow phase enjoying the Natures wonders and collecting non-degradable waste that ware been thrown here & there within the forest.

The Sixth and last day of our journey was through Yala Block-1, from Warahana to Katagamuwa, and from there to Katharagama along the road. We made offerings to a way side shrine on the way inside Yala block-1, and cleaned the garbage around it. It was about noon when we reached the Katagamuwa Park gate. From there we walked across the dried-up Katagamuwa wewa, a short-cut back to the road. It was there we met a group in two jeeps, distributing plastic water bottles to pilgrims. We tried to explain to them that they were contributing in polluting the environment, but they didn’t seem to get our point. We found some of those bottles thrown here and there in the dried-up lake bed. It was tough to walk on the road with the early after-noon. Yet we went to the ‘Ganapathi-Kele-Devalaya’, and reached the ‘Bath-Dansela’ along the Katharagama-Katagamuwa main road. Finally, we reached the Katharagama devalaya around 5.00 pm.

Morning Prayers before leaving

Garbage in Elephant-dung far inside the jungle

The 'palu' season was still on... and Kasun was on the tree

A Spotted Deer at Walas-wala... වළහා මුවා වෙලා!
 

A wayside shrine... another place we did a cleaning campaign

Having breakfast

Enjoying a cup of Coffee... facing a puddle of poo !!! 

Mugger Crocodile

Dusty feet at Katagamuwa entrance...

Garden Lizard

Dharmasooriya... the good Ice-cream vendor
who removes the wrappers while selling to prevent pollution

the two jeeps distributing plastic water bottles
contributing in polluting the dried-up Katagamuwa lake

an half-empty water bottle thrown away !

wild Animals crossing the road ....

Sathya Shri Kele Ganapathi Devalaya.....

Bath dan-sela along the Katharagama-Katagamuwa road

Finally... at Katharagama Devalaya.

The Group at Katagamuwa park entrance; (From Left to Right)
Kumari, Kasun, Sri Ram, Rukmal, Samantha, Peshala, Channa & Sharmila.

DAY 05 of Katharagama Pada Yathra ; 04th of July, 2019

“The Katharagama Pada-yathra” is an annual pilgrimage done mainly by Hindu-Tamils in honor of Lord Kadhiratian (God of Katharagama). Some pilgrims walk all the way as far from Jaffna to the secret Devalaya at Katharagama, covering more than 500 kilometers on foot.  The most difficult and dangerous part of this journey is no doubt the approximately 100km stretch from Okanda to Katagamuwa, where the pilgrims have to cross the Kumana & Yala National parks. The park gates are kept open for a limited number of days simultaneous to this Katharagama festive season, and the Wildlife Department officials, Security forces and Local Government authorities of the area operate a special program during this period providing pilgrims with drinking water and other assistance at various points within the jungle. There are also a few volunteer groups providing medical assistance and operating ‘dan-sel’ donating meals to the pilgrims. Other than that, all pilgrims old and young cross this forest where wild animals roam frequently with the pure faith that Gods would protect them till the end of the journey, chanting “Aero Hara”, and calling each other ‘Sami’ (Godly person) with the belief God in everyone who as come to help them on their journey. Our group of nine took five nights and six days to complete the journey from Okanda to Katharagama (apex. 110 km), as we went in a slow phase enjoying the Natures wonders and collecting non-degradable waste that ware been thrown here & there within the forest.

We had planned to cover a very short way on our Fifth day, only up to the Warahana bridge up-stream, parallel to the river. Therefore we spent the morning cooking and bathing in the river. In the after-noon, after offering pooja to the river-side shrine, we started our walk. Though a short one, it was very adventurous with encounters with Elephants, Water-Buffalos and BEARS !!!. When we reached Warahana it was almost getting dark. We prepared Noodles for dinnar that night, and for breakfast the next morning.

Pooja at Menik-ganga shrine

a way side shrine...
after the garbage scattered around it was cleaned by us

White-rumped Shama (female) ???

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

crossing an area with many wildlife encounters... !!!

Night stay... near Warahana Bridge

Dinner is in the cooking...

DAY 04 of Katharagama Pada Yathra ; 03rd of July, 2019

“The Katharagama Pada-yathra” is an annual pilgrimage done mainly by Hindu-Tamils in honor of Lord Kadhiratian (God of Katharagama). Some pilgrims walk all the way as far from Jaffna to the secret Devalaya at Katharagama, covering more than 500 kilometers on foot.  The most difficult and dangerous part of this journey is no doubt the approximately 100km stretch from Okanda to Katagamuwa, where the pilgrims have to cross the Kumana & Yala National parks. The park gates are kept open for a limited number of days simultaneous to this Katharagama festive season, and the Wildlife Department officials, Security forces and Local Government authorities of the area operate a special program during this period providing pilgrims with drinking water and other assistance at various points within the jungle. There are also a few volunteer groups providing medical assistance and operating ‘dan-sel’ donating meals to the pilgrims. Other than that, all pilgrims old and young cross this forest where wild animals roam frequently with the pure faith that Gods would protect them till the end of the journey, chanting “Aero Hara”, and calling each other ‘Sami’ (Godly person) with the belief God in everyone who as come to help them on their journey. Our group of nine took five nights and six days to complete the journey from Okanda to Katharagama (apex. 110 km), as we went in a slow phase enjoying the Natures wonders and collecting non-degradable waste that ware been thrown here & there within the forest.

The Fourth day of our journey was from Lin-thuna to Menik-ganga. As usual, after we made offerings to the small shrine at Lin-thuna, we took-off. That morning breakfast  was again tea with Aggala, which we happily shared with a few co-pilgrims on the way. Crossing the open plains with constant sandy winds, we reached Katupila-ara by about noon. It was like heaven to see the ‘Katupila-ara Bath Dan-sela’. We enjoyed a good lunch there and had a nap till the Sun went down a bit. Full credit should be given to the dansela operators, as they had taken all possible measures to prevent pollution. It was early evening when we reached the Menik-ganga, but the river bed was full of pilgrims. We too lay our sheets on the sandy river bed, and had a bath before dinner.

offerings made to the shrine at 'Lin-thuna'

White-bellied Sea Eagle

Sharing our breakfast; tea & Aggala with other 'Sami's....

The walk of Life.....

Water-Buffalo

near Katupila-ara Bath dan-sela

enjoying a God given meal....

Grey-headed Fish Eagle

Crested Hawk Eagle

at Menik ganga...

A night at a sandy river-bed.......

DAY 03 of Katharagama Pada Yathra ; 02nd of July, 2019

“The Katharagama Pada-yathra” is an annual pilgrimage done mainly by Hindu-Tamils in honor of Lord Kadhiratian (God of Katharagama). Some pilgrims walk all the way as far from Jaffna to the secret Devalaya at Katharagama, covering more than 500 kilometers on foot.  The most difficult and dangerous part of this journey is no doubt the approximately 100km stretch from Okanda to Katagamuwa, where the pilgrims have to cross the Kumana & Yala National parks. The park gates are kept open for a limited number of days simultaneous to this Katharagama festive season, and the Wildlife Department officials, Security forces and Local Government authorities of the area operate a special program during this period providing pilgrims with drinking water and other assistance at various points within the jungle. There are also a few volunteer groups providing medical assistance and operating ‘dan-sel’ donating meals to the pilgrims. Other than that, all pilgrims old and young cross this forest where wild animals roam frequently with the pure faith that Gods would protect them till the end of the journey, chanting “Aero Hara”, and calling each other ‘Sami’ (Godly person) with the belief God in everyone who as come to help them on their journey. Our group of nine took five nights and six days to complete the journey from Okanda to Katharagama (apex. 110 km), as we went in a slow phase enjoying the Natures wonders and collecting non-degradable waste that ware been thrown here & there within the forest.

On our third day, we left early and covered most of the open terrains before the sun became too hot. Again our breakfast was tea with Aggala on the way. We reached ‘Lin-thuna’, our third day destination in the after-noon, had a bath and prepared ‘kurakkan-kenda’ for lunch. Then we collected firewood for a camp-fire and cooked dinner. Before dinner we had another bath in one of the “Three-Wells” at Lin-thuna.

Preying before leaving....

A spotted Deer

A break on the way.....

coming through the open.....

crossing across the waters....

waiting for breakfast.... tea with Aggala!

cutting through sandy winds...
may be the closest experience of a sand storm
one would experience in Sri Lanka !

Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark

Lin-thuna... our third night's stay

DAY 02 of Katharagama Pada Yathra ; 01st of July, 2019

“The Katharagama Pada-yathra” is an annual pilgrimage done mainly by Hindu-Tamils in honor of Lord Kadhiratian (God of Katharagama). Some pilgrims walk all the way as far from Jaffna to the secret Devalaya at Katharagama, covering more than 500 kilometers on foot.  The most difficult and dangerous part of this journey is no doubt the approximately 100km stretch from Okanda to Katagamuwa, where the pilgrims have to cross the Kumana & Yala National parks. The park gates are kept open for a limited number of days simultaneous to this Katharagama festive season, and the Wildlife Department officials, Security forces and Local Government authorities of the area operate a special program during this period providing pilgrims with drinking water and other assistance at various points within the jungle. There are also a few volunteer groups providing medical assistance and operating ‘dan-sel’ donating meals to the pilgrims. Other than that, all pilgrims old and young cross this forest where wild animals roam frequently with the pure faith that Gods would protect them till the end of the journey, chanting “Aero Hara”, and calling each other ‘Sami’ (Godly person) with the belief God in everyone who as come to help them on their journey. Our group of nine took five nights and six days to complete the journey from Okanda to Katharagama (apex. 110 km), as we went in a slow phase enjoying the Natures wonders and collecting non-degradable waste that ware been thrown here & there within the forest.

On our second day morning, we offered our poojas to the little shrine at Bagura, and set-off around 6.30 am. We had tea with Aggala as breakfast on the way. We did a bit of cleaning on the way, specially near the Kumana Bird Information Center where obviously park tourist were to be responsible for most of the pollution. We reached Kuda-Kebiliththa Dewalaya by noon. Having a river bath in the Kumbukkan river, we held a pooja at the dewalaya. Then we had our Lunch, and crossed the kumbukkana gate before it was closed for the day. We crossed the Kumbukkan-oya and spent the night on the shores of the stream. As we had leftovers from lunch, we only prepared a fresh vegetable salad more for dinner, and had a river-bath as we had plenty of time.

dawn @ Bagura......

a lonely tree.....

offerings were made to the Bagura shrine....

a flock of Lesser Adjutants, Ibis, Storks and Herons....

Green Imperial Pigeons... 

Breakfast break... Tea & Aggala is in the making !

A Painted Stork...

An injured Wild-pig near Kumana villuwa...

Kuda-Kebilithta dewalaya...

offerings made to the Kuda kebiliththa dewalaya....

lunch at Kuda Kebiliththa.....

crossing the Kumbukkan oya....

the second night's stay was beside the Kumbukkan oya...