![Kathir Kama Song Dowlod Kathir Kama Song Dowlod](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ou1omIHNAa0/maxresdefault.jpg)
Pathmanathan, the original Kataragama shrine was established as an adjunct guardian deity shrine to Skanda-Kumara within a Buddhist temple complex.
![Kathir Kama Song Dowlod Kathir Kama Song Dowlod](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f4/93/66/f493664d45c17629c6a6d4851ab9e5d9.jpg)
According to Heinz Bechert and Paul Younger, the mode of veneration and rituals connected with Kataragama deviyo is a survival of indigenous Vedda mode of veneration that preceded the arrival of Buddhist and Indo-Aryan cultural influences from North India in Sri Lanka in the last centuries BCE, although Hindus, Buddhists and even Muslims have tried to co-opt the deity, rituals and the shrine. There are number of theories as to the origin of the shrine. The entire temple complex was declared a holy place by the government of Sri Lanka in the 1950s since then political leaders have contributed for its maintenance and upkeep. The vicinity of the temple complex is used for secretive practices of sorcery and cursing peculiar to Sri Lanka (Source or reference to sorcery is missing). The temple complex is also connected to other similar temples in Eastern Province dedicated to Murugan which are along the path of pilgrimage from Jaffna in the north to Kataragama in the south of the island Arunagirinathar traversed this pilgrimage route in the 15th century. There is a mosque and a few tombs of Muslim pious men buried nearby. Veddas, too, have a claim on the temple, a nearby mountain peak and locality through a number of legends. The priests of the temple are known as Kapuralas and are believed to be descended from Vedda people. The lack of clear historic records and resultant legends and myths fuel the conflict between Buddhists and Hindus as to the ownership and the mode of worship at Kataragama.
![Kathir Kama Song Dowlod Kathir Kama Song Dowlod](https://www.quirkybyte.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/rsz_x1080-njr.jpg)
It is difficult to reconstruct the factual history of the place and the reason for its popularity amongst Sri Lankans and Indians based on legends and available archeological and literary evidence alone, although the place seems to have a venerable history. With the change in devotees, the mode of worship and festivals has changed from that of Hindu orientation to one that accommodates Buddhist rituals and theology. These legends are changing with the deity's burgeoning popularity with Buddhists, as the Buddhist ritual specialists and clergy try to accommodate the deity within Buddhist ideals of nontheism. A number of legends and myths are associated with the deity and the location, differing by religion, ethnic affiliation and time. The cult of Kataragama deviyo has become the most popular amongst the Sinhalese people. Since the latter half of the 20th century, the site has risen dramatically among Sinhalese Buddhists who today constitute majority of the visitors. The shrine has for centuries attracted Tamil Hindus from Sri Lanka and South India who undertook an arduous pilgrimage on foot. The shrines and the nearby Kiri Vehera are managed by Buddhists, the shrines dedicated to Teyvāṉai and Shiva are managed by Hindus and the mosque by Muslims. For most of the past millennia, it was a jungle shrine very difficult to access today it is accessible by an all-weather road. It is one of the few religious sites in Sri Lanka that is venerated by the Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and the Vedda people. Kataragama temple ( Sinhala: රුහුණු කතරගම දේවාලය, lit.'Ruhuṇu Kataragama Dēvālaya', Tamil: கதிர்காமம் முருகன் கோயில், lit.'Katirkāmam Murugan Kōvil') in Kataragama, Sri Lanka, is a temple complex dedicated to Buddhist guardian deity Kataragama deviyo and Hindu War God Murugan.