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Sri Lanka Army

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Army Troops Restore Dilapidated Hindu Temple

The amity that prevails between resettled people in Kalmadu Unit II Grama Seva sector in Madu and members of the Army, received a great boost Sunday (17) morning when the Army troops restored the dilapidated Sri Murugan Kovil (Hindu Temple) in the village and ceremonially inaugurated observance of religious rites and offerings.     

This Hindu temple, reduced partly to ruins, due to LTTE terrorism in Wanni, has remained abandoned since the year 1998 after all the villagers had fled the area when LTTE terrorists intensified their attacks against the troops serving Madu area and turned their lives miserable. 

Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army, who saw the abandoned sacred place for himself several months ago when he toured the 61 Division area, directed Major General G D H K Gunaratne, Commander, Security Forces, Wanni, to have this old temple brought to its ancient grandeur upon completion of the government-initiated IDP resettlement programme in the area. 
 
Accordingly, the resettlement of 289 displaced civilians, belonging to some 76 families took place on 10th July 2010 in the Grama Seva sector in line with the government’s overall resettlement project, as directed by HE the President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

25th Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI) troops serving the area, in addition to their continuous assistance given to villagers for their construction of houses, infrastructure development, cultivations, etc, enthusiastically, took up the challenge of restoring this spiritual need of the villagers about 45 months ago.

Troops invited the former chief priest (Kurukkal) Rev S Wijesekaram at this temple to help carry out those repairs with the support of donors and villagers. With his patronage, the temple was brought to its ancient grandeur to the satisfaction of all the inhabitants. After the repairs, the Kurukkal officially took over the premises.

Major General Gunaratne, Commander, Security Forces, Wanni, accompanied by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 61 Division, Brigade Commanders and Senior Officers on Sunday (17) ceremonially sanctified the restored temple after absence of many years and made the inaugural offerings in accordance with Hindu religious traditions.    

General Officer Commanding, 61 Division Brigadier Ajith Kariyakarawana, Brigade Commander 611 Brigade, many Senior Officers and a gathering of those villagers joined in the offerings at the inaugural occasion. Rev S Wijesekaram officiated the formal receipt of the temple’s custodianship and invoked blessings on the Army, villagers and the country.