In the war zone, island misses its annual date with harmony

With the high seas in the Palk Strait turning into a war zone for the Lankan Navy and the Sea Tigers

With the high seas in the Palk Strait turning into a war zone for the Lankan Navy and the Sea Tigers, and tension mounting along the Indian coast over fears of possible militant infiltration, the annual Katchativu thiruvizha (festival), held in the tiny St Anthony’s Church on Katchativu island, which serves as a symbol of camaraderie between hundreds of fishermen from India and Sri Lanka, has been all but forgotten.

The festival, which marks Jesus Christ’s ascendance to heaven after the 40-day Lent, has been held every year since 1939. While it stopped in 1983, when ethnic strife was at its peak in the island nation, the festivities resumed again in 2000. “What is special about the ‘thiruvizha’ is that it gives us the opportunity to mingle with our brothers from across the sea,” said Jeron Kumar, state secretary of the Tamil Nadu Fishermen’s Youth Association in Rameshwaram.

But this year, with the Indian maritime agencies strengthening patrol following a spurt in smuggling activities by LTTE sympathisers and renewal of hostilities between the Lankan forces and the Tigers, both the governments have failed to facilitate the festival.

For the festival, which is held in the first week of March, the Sri Lankan Government ensured security and drinking water for the visiting pilgrims. The Indian government too pitched in, holding back patrols and allowing the fishermen to join in the festivities. “This must be the only church where two countries join in a religious ceremony every year. Our fishermen don’t need a visa to go there and it served as an exercise of promoting peace and harmony,” pointed out S Loganathan, president of the Tamil Sangam. Maintaining that they were prepared to provide security and water like they normally did, a Lankan spokesperson blamed the church priest for deciding not to hold the festival.