When the 2026 Twenty20 World Cup trophy arrived in Jaffna on the 1st, a major conflict arose between the caretakers of the Nallur Temple and the visiting organizers from the south.
The temple trustees initially protested against the group for walking around the sacred temple grounds wearing shoes, an act considered disrespectful. The situation escalated as the group continued to behave indecently and took photographs throughout the temple premises.
At one point, a priest addressed a Tamil national among the organizers, stating, “Since God is more valuable to us than that trophy, take the trophy that is valuable to you and leave this place.”
Following this, the group reportedly conducted themselves respectfully, placed the trophy inside the Nallur Temple, and removed it after the designated time.
It is customary for male devotees entering Nallur Temple to remove their shirts, exposing the upper body as a sign of respect. A group of visitors refused to comply, which led to heated arguments with the temple trustees and heightened tensions at the site.
In response, the temple trustees have announced that any group unwilling to follow proper decorum will no longer be permitted to conduct activities inside the temple.
