Haro Hara: Pilgrimage to Kataragama

A beautiful feature length documentary following Tamil Hindu and Sri Lankan Vedda pilgrims as they walk to Kataragama on the pada yatra, an ancient 300 km foot pilgrimage down the east coast of Sri Lanka. Haro Hara vividly captures the diversity of Hindu bhakti religious experiences. Filmed primarily in 2003 and 2004, Haro Hara documents the ritual lives of pilgrims as they pass through military and rebel check points, war torn towns, pastoral or seaside villages and dwindling jungles to reach the sacred enclave of Kataragama, where they observe the 14 night Esala festival in honor of Murugan/Skanda, lord of Kataragama. Once reaching Kataragama, these Hindu pilgrims join with Buddhists and Muslims to celebrate in peace. The film is useful to scholars and students of religion, anthropology, sociology, musicology and political science.