Consecration of ‘Ram Lalla’ in Ayodhya celebrated in north Sri Lanka

Colombo, Jan 23 (PTI) Several temples in Sri Lanka’s Hindu dominant north celebrated the consecration of ‘Ram Lalla’ in Ayodhya, with rituals being conducted simultaneously with the official event.

Rituals were conducted in various temples on Monday, including at the iconic Nallur Kovil temple. Officials of the Indian Consulate also attended the event.

Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil or Nallur Murugan Kovil is one of the most significant Hindu temples in the Jaffna district of the Northern Province.

Large crowds gathered at temples, with devotees cleaning holy statues in the morning. They later organised prayers and sang Ram bhajans.

According to the 2011 census, over 12.5 per cent of Sri Lanka’s 21 million population are Hindus. In Jaffna, over 80 per cent of the estimated 650,000 population are Hindus.