A familiarization program for South Indian media, to promote ‘The Murugan Trail’ in Sri Lanka, has been organized and facilitated by Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission in Chennai in collaboration with Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, from 03rd to 11th August 2022.
The utmost objective of this program is to promote and publicize mainly Katharagama Esala Festival among the south Indian tourists which is being held in this auspicious month. In parallel to this event other elegance cultural events such as Esala Perahera in Kandy and Nallur Festival in Jaffna, which is held in the same month, will also be promoted.
Kataragama Esala Festival is held annually in July or August at the Kataragama Ancient Temple, to pay homage to Lord Murugan. Kataragama Esala Perehera (Procession) held at the nights of the festive season with traditional dancers, kawadi dancers, drummers, fire walkers, elephants, and many other religious rituals, is known as one of the most elegant & spectacular historical-cultural pageants in Sri Lanka.
For the first time, six renowned media houses in south India, both print and electronic, including ‘The Hindu’, ‘Behindwoods’, ‘News 07 Tamil’, ‘Vikatan’, ‘News 18’, ‘TV 09’ and ‘Madhura Digital Media’ departed to Sri Lanka on 03rd August for a 09 days visit. During the visit, the delegation is travelling to cover historically and culturally important destinations and events in all around the country especially in Colombo, Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Kandy and Katharagama. Moreover, Kataharagama Esala festival is being scheduled to be broadcast live by a few of them.