The Sri Lanka Navy initiated a hospitality program for the devotees on foot pilgrimage (paada yathra) to Kataragama last Thursday (27).
Naval personnel attached to SLNS Mahanaga in Panama, guided by the Commander South-Eastern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Noel Kalubowila, under the directive of the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva provided bottles of drinking water, food, dry rations, sanitary and medical facilities to the pilgrims at the Murugan Devalaya at Okanda.
The grueling journey on ancient routes from the Northern and Eastern Provinces to Kataragama Devalaya takes about a month through the Yala National Park.
As the devotees resumed their pilgrimage from Okanda receiving Navy hospitality, many, including ministers, government officials and a large number of senior and junior officers attached to the South-Eastern Naval Command attended the event.