RAMANATHAPURAM
A total of 1,920 pilgrims, including 52 children, set sail for the annual two-day St Antony’s Church festival in Katchatheevu in 60 mechanised boats from Rameswaram fishing jetty on Friday, even as police denied permission to activist-film director V. Gowthaman.
As many as 182 pilgrims did not undertake the pilgrimage. A total of 2,103 pilgrims had registered their names for the pilgrimage, but only 1,920 pilgrims – 1,532 men, 334 women, 54 children – sailed from the jetty, escorted by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Marine Police personnel after security clearance.
The pilgrims from Rameswaram island and other districts assembled at the fishing jetty early on Friday morning and the first batch of 30 pilgrims with five crew members left at 6.30 a.m. They reached the islet around 9.10 a.m. The last boat left the jetty at 12.30 p.m. and reached the islet around 2.30 p.m., officials said.
Officials said Mr. Gowthaman, who reached the jetty, faced four criminal cases and Chennai police denied clearance for him. He protested, saying the denial of permission amounted to violation of human rights.
Collector S. Natarajan and Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena inspected the arrangements at the fishing jetty, while Inspector General of Police (CSG) Su. Arunachalam and SP (CSG) D. Ashok Kumar supervised the Marine Police escorting the pilgrims to the ICG in the sea.
This was the lowest number of pilgrims in recent years. Last year, a record number of 4,991 pilgrims had confirmed their participation in the pilgrimage, but they could not make it after local fishermen boycotted the festival, protesting against the gunning down of fisherman K. Britjo allegedly by the Lankan navy.
Fr. A. Antonysamy, Rameswaram-Verkodu Parish Priest and chief coordinator of the pilgrimage, said they carried a 35-foot-tall teak flag mast donated by the local fishermen for the newly built St Antony Church in the islet. The fishermen had also donated monstrances for worship and chalice for holy mass, he said.
He said the festival would commence in the evening with ‘Way of the Cross’ procession, jointly taken out by Indian and Lankan pilgrims, followed by flag hoisting and car procession. The evening mass would be conducted by Rev. Joseph Lourduraja, Vicar General of Sivaganga Diocese, he said, adding the pilgrims would return on Saturday afternoon after the feast mass by Rev. Justin Gnanaprakasam, Bishop, Jaffna Diocese.
