IL POYA AT GANGARAMAYA...

November 27, 2012 
Buddhist devotees take part in various religious observances at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo today (Nov. 27), Il Full Moon Poya Day. The Il Poya is the penultimate Poya of the year and also the last Poya in the rainy season. The announcement of the future Buddhahood of Maitriya Bodhisatva, the first Buddhist Missionery activity by Sixty Arahaths, Jatila Brothers-Uruwela, Nadi, Gaya the Buddhist Order, Festival of “Devahaona” or Ascendency to heaven by Gautama Buddhist, acceptance of a Robe from the Future Buddha to be Maitriya, who was a disciple of Gautama Buddha, passing away of “Dharmasenapathi” one of the Chief Disiples Sariputta took place on Il Full Moon Poya Day. (Pic by Sanjeewa Lasantha)

The Kaarthikai flame, called Chokkap-panai in Eezham Tamil, lighted in front of the Nalloor temple in 2011. It is called Chokkap-panai because of the use of dried palmyra palm leaves in making the flame.

Genocidal Sri Lanka forbids Kaarthikai festival as it falls on Heroes Day

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2012, 22:41 GMT]
The Heroes Day observed by Eezham Tamils on 27 November to remember their fallen fighters, falls on a full moon day this year, coinciding with the Kaarthikai festival of lights observed by Tamils since ancient times. Sri Lanka that has made a practice of banning even routine religious observations in the temples of the occupied country of Eezham Tamils on the Heroes Day, dares this year to forbid the Kaarthikai festival observations too. Occupying Sri Lanka’s practice of banning temple rituals, including toll of bells on the Heroes Day, started first in Nov 2009, while New Delhi’s Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna was visiting Jaffna. New Zealand Tamils appeal to the UN on the continued cultural genocide of their kith and kin in the island. 
The Kaarthikai festival celebrated in Thiruva'n'naamalai in Tamil Nadu:  
Full story >>