Jaffna is the cultural town of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. Jaffna District, the northernmost region of the Island of Sri Lanka, is one of the oldest habitation sites in Lower South Asia, populated by Tamil speaking people. Jaffna is situated within ten degrees of latitude to the north of the equator. It is in close proximity to the sub-continent of India and separated from it by the Palk Strait and the Bay of Bengal.

Nallur Temple

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil or Nallur Murugan Kovil is one of the most significant Hindu temples in the Jaffna District of Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It stands in the town of Nallur. The presiding deity is Lord Muruga in the form of the holy Vel. The idol of the Nallur Devi or goddess was gifted to the temple in the 10 century CE by the Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi, in the style of Sembian bronzes.

Nagadeepa Temple

Nainativu is one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Gulf of Mannar and is only about 35 miles from India. Merchants have long come here and the surrounding islands to buy the conch shells that are harvested in the warm shallow waters in the Gulf. The conch shell is of course essential for certain Hindu and Buddhist rituals and a particularly perfect specimen of one spiraling to the right can fetch an enormous price. Pilgrims have also been coming to Nainativu since about the 1st century CE to worship at its famous stupa.

Thai-Pongal (harvest festival)

Thai Pongal happens on January 14th and it is the celebration of good harvest. There will be fireworks and celebrations all thorugh the day and night. All temples hold special Pongal poojas where people make pongal in front of the temple.