India and Sri Lanka should make the Saint Antony’s festival more meaningful by taking its scope beyond the religious spectrum, feels a cross-section of people who participated in the two-day festival.
“Both governments should take steps to make it a place for cultural exchange among both countries’ nationals. I have seen people from various religious, including Hindus and Muslims, participate in the festival. This shows the scope for improving cultural and social harmony between communities and nations,” says Sathitya Akademi winner Joe D’ Cruz, who took part in the festival.
Interestingly, Cruz, who met a Sri Lankan Tamil family from the Rodrigo clan at the festival, points out that the Rodrigo family name is a common one in Kanyakumari district. “This shows our historical relationship with the Tamils in Sri Lanka,” he points out.
Taking a similar stand, father Micheal Raj, the Sivagangai Diocese Public Relation officer says that though the new government has come to power in Lanka, “Real confidence will come only if both the governments work together to make the festival a place for cultural and social interactions between both communities.”
The Saint Antony festival this year witnessed nearly 7,500 devotees. Macls Koefoed Duus from Denmark says, “We came to tour Lanka and when the people explained about the importance of the festival, we immediately came here. St Antony’s church stands as a symbol of cultural unity.”
Many Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen who participated in the festivities seem a bit relived compared to last time. “After the new government took power, the price of essential commodities have come down. We are also hopeful that the government will introduce welfare schemes and create more job opportunities for Tamils in the government.”
Vinayamoorthy Sagadevan, President of War Affected People’s Movement, Yalapanam, also sees a positive change and states that the new government has given space for freedom of expression. “Now, more human rights groups and foreign embassies have started their operations in the North East province,” he observes. A Natarajan, Counsel General, Consulate General of India, Jaffna says that the festival reflects the cultural interaction between both nations.