Devotees flock to Nallur festival in Jaffna

The sacred city of Jaffna was transformed into a hub of devotion during the annual 25-day Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil Festival, which drew hundreds of thousands of devotees from across Sri Lanka and overseas. On August 19, the streets resonated with chants and drumbeats during the Vettai Thiruvila procession, which symbolises Lord Murugan’s divine hunt. The following day, the devotees took part in the Sapparam ritual, carrying kavadi and making vows in acts of penance and deep faith. Pix by Ravindra Weerasinghe