Latest news with #Kataragama
Al Arabiya
11-05-2025
- Al Arabiya
Bus carrying pilgrims crashes killing 15 in Sri Lanka
An overcrowded bus carrying dozens of Buddhist pilgrims crashed into a precipice in Sri Lanka on Sunday, killing 15 and injuring at least 30, local police said. Among the worst road accidents in the country in decades, the state-owned bus was travelling through the central hilly region of Kotmale when the driver lost control and it veered off a cliffside road before dawn, police said. It was carrying around 70 passengers -- about 20 more than its capacity -- police said, adding that an investigation was underway. 'We are trying to establish whether it was a mechanical failure or if the driver fell asleep at the wheel,' a local police official told AFP by telephone. 'Fifteen people have died and we have sent 30 to hospital,' who were mostly Buddhists, added the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media. The bus was travelling from the pilgrim town of Kataragama in the island's deep south to the central city of Kurunegala, a distance of about 250 kilometers (155 miles). Sri Lanka records an average of 3,000 road fatalities annually, making the island's roads among the most dangerous in the world. Sunday's bus accident was one of the worst in Sri Lanka since April 2005, when a driver attempted to beat a train at a level crossing in the town of Polgahawela. The bus driver escaped with minor injuries, but 37 passengers were killed. In March 2021, 13 passengers and the driver of a privately owned bus died when the vehicle crashed into a precipice in Passara, about 100 kilometers east of the scene of the accident on Sunday.
Listly
04-04-2025
- Listly
Best Things to Do in Kataragama—On Your 2025 Holiday to Sri Lanka
An important place of worship in Sri Lanka, this shrine is dedicated to the god Kataragama and the war god Murugan, drawing devotees from across Asia. Although predominantly belonging to the Hindu religion, Kataragama is also an important place of worship for Buddhists. The Kataragama Maha Devalaya takes centre stage, and is crowded with worshippers partaking in various rituals. One such tradition is coconut dashing—whole, husked coconuts are lit up using camphor, before being thrown at a special fenced-off boulder inside the temple premises. The throw is meant to shatter and break the coconut, thereby signifying the granting of any request made by the person dashing it. Regardless of your familiarity with the culture, exploring the temple and the rituals that take place will be fascinating. Just make sure to dress in modest attire, respecting the place as a religious site. If you choose to stay at a nearby hotel like Mandara Rosen Kataragama, located less than 15 minutes from the shrine, you can easily get there to witness the iconic early morning or late night rituals—a breeze while you enjoy a stay at one of the best hotels in Kataragama.
