Pāda Yātrā: Foot Pilgrimage from Jaffna to Kataragama

Route of the traditional two-month pada yatra from Jaffna to Kataragama. Click on map to view at full size.

The traditional two month long Pada Yatra or foot pilgrimage from Jaffna to Kataragama annually in May-June-July is neither a peace march nor a political rally, but a traditional procession of village devotees who represent the rural voice of Sri Lanka.

The Pada Yatra tradition is an essential part of Lanka's multi-cultural ethos. The Yatra begins with pilgrims moving from one sacred site to another, with their numbers growing as the Yatra progresses. Over 30,000 pilgrims walked in 2004.

Kataragama Pada Yatra: Articles, Photo Galleries, and related resouces