Kataragama Pada Yatra in Yala 2015
 
Kataragama Devotees Trust logo in English, Sinhala and Tamil

Landmines: Reminders of War in Sri Lanka - May 2002


Destroyed vehicles like this armored car litter the landscape at Elephant Pass

Check post upon entering LTTE territory just north of Vavuniya
Landmines

Traditional foot-pilgrimage or Pāda Yātra is no cakewalk, even in the best of times. During, and after, the conflict in Sri Lanka, real dangers lurk not only for local villagers, but more especially for Pada Yatra pilgrims who walk the entire length of Sri Lanka's East Coast, including landmine-strewn areas, often remote and unmarked.

Kataragama Pada Yatra devotees walk in absolute confidence that the god directs their every step. Even to die on Pada Yatra (which typically claims at least one life every year) is considered as a sign of the god's grace. As such, the Kataragama Devotees Trust cannot guarantee the safety of the Pada Yatra pilgrims, although it does everything to ensure that the pilgrims arrive to Kataragama and return home safely. If you have any unanswered concerns, contact us.
International Campaign to Ban Landmines website ClearLandmines.com