1983 Violence against Tamil Hindus

''In Colombo, it was the season of the annual Vel cart festival, which coincides with the Katargama festival season, and attracts to it all the castes and all the classes and all the races of Sri Lanka. The Vel Cart had come from Pettah to the Bambalapitiya (Hindu) temple when the disturbances broke. The chariot was set on fire.'' (N.Shanmugathasan,Sri Lanka: Racism and the Authoritarian State - Race and Class, Volume XXVI, A.Sivanandan and Hazel Waters, Institute of Race Relations, London)

The Hindu temples and related institutions which were damaged or destroyed during July 1983 included the following:

Viswanatha Sivan Temple in Trincomalee
Krishnan Temple in Trincomalee
Saneeswaran Temple in Trincomalee
Natesar Temple in Sivayogapuram, Trincomalee
Sri Tillaiambala Pillaiyar Temple in Anbuvalipuram,Trincomalee
Chithivinayakar Temple in Sinnatoduvai, Trincomalee
Vilankulam Pillaiyar Temple on Kandy Road, Trincomalee
Vyrutru Pillaiyar Temple on Kandy Road, Trincomalee
Pillaiyar Temple in China Bay, Trincomalee
Upparu Pillaiyar Temple in Trincomalee
Kitulootra Pallaiyar Temple in Kanniyai, Trincomalee
Kitulootra Murugan Temple in Trincomalee
Barathipuram Pillaiyar Temple in Pankulam, Trincomalee
Pillaiyar Temple in Pankulam, Trincomalee
Mudalikulam Pillaiyar Temple in Pankulam, Trincomalee
Ellai Kali Kovil in Pankulam, Trincomalee
Pillaiyar Temple in Panmadawachchi, Trincomalee
Papanasa Teertapillaiyar Temple in Trincomalee
Sri Pathini Amman Temple in Neelapalai, Kilivetti
Sri Kamakshi Ambal Temple in Jaffna
Saiva Maha Sabha in Kurunegala
Udupi Sri Muthuvinayakar Temple in Matale
Sri Muthumari Amman Temple in Matale
Muthuvinayakar Temple in Matale
Sri Chithivinayakar Temple in Matale
Sri Kadiresan Temple in Matale
Sri Poobalakrishnar Ashram in Matale
Sri Ganga Vinayakar Temple in Madulkelle
Kurinji Kumaran Temple, Peradeniya
Sri Muthumariamman Temple in Nawalapitya
Atmajothy Nilayam in Nawalapitiya
Athivinayakar Temple in Haldumulla, Haputale
Sri Sivasubramanya Temple in Bandarawela
Sri Kadiresan Temple in Badulla
Hindu Temple in Malangama, Badulla
Hindu Temple in Narangala, Badulla
Kali Temple in Rockhill, Badulla
Sri Poobalavinayakar Temple in Peliyagoda
Sri Balaselvavinayakar Temple in Maradana, Colombo
Sri Devi Karumari Amman Temple in Maligawatte, Colombo
Venkateswara Mahavishnu Moorthy Temple in Dehiwala, Colombo
Srimath Arunachaleswara Devasthanam in Colombo
Ramakrishna Mission, Colombo
Kandasamy Temple in Panadura
Sri Subramanya Temple in Matara
Hindu Pilgrims' Rest in Matara