The Dalada Perahera and the four Devales
By Udumbara Udugama
The Kandy Esala Perahera Kap Situveema (planting of the Kapa) in each of the four Devales in Kandy was held yesterday, August 15 at the auspicious hour of 5.35 a.m. facing south. Thereafter, for five consecutive days, the Perahera will be conducted in the Devala premises following traditional rituals. From August 20-24, the Kumbal perahera will be conducted on the streets of Kandy city. The most spectacular Randoli Perahera will begin on the 25th, ending with the Daval Perahera (Day Perahera) on August 30.
The Diyakepeema (water cutting) ceremony will be held in the early hours of August 30, when the Kapuralas of the four devales are rowed out to the Mahaweli river at Gannoruwa. They slash the water and collect it into goblets where the sword touched the water. This water is kept until the next year.
Originally the four devale peraheras to honour the Hindu deities was a separate pageant. It was during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Rajasinha, a descendent of the Hindu Nayakkars that the four devale peraheras joined the Sri Dalada Maligawa Esala Perahera. This was at the request of Upali Maha Thera and Welivita Asarana Sarana Sarankara Sangharaja Maha Thera who were instrumental in reviving the Upasampada, the Higher Ordination of monks (bhikkhus.)
The Sri Dalada Perahera leads the annual Esala pageant followed by the Natha, Maha Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini devales with beautifully caparisoned tuskers carrying the insignia of the deities of each devale.
The Natha devale is one of the oldest buildings in Senkadagala, believed to have built in the 14th century by King Vikramabahu III who reigned in Gampola. According to the Chulabod-hiwansa written during the Kandyan period, a Brahman named Natha had planted a Dethis Pala Bodhi tree and the devalaya is known as Natha Devalaya. Even now this tree popularly known as the Welbodhiya is where people go to worship and make vows.
There are two Chaityas in the Natha Devalaya, which is unusual. It is believed that Pathra dhatu (bowl used for food by the Buddha) is placed in one chaitya (dome shaped white structure). According to historical records the selection of suitable names for the kings of Senkadagala were made at the Natha devale. The names were written on pieces of puskola (ola leaf), arranged on a silver tray and placed in front of the statue of the deity. On a nekath day (auspicious day) the appointed king would enter the devale with his entourage and select a piece of ola leaf with a name from the tray and hand it over to a Nilame who would announce in public that this particular name has been given to the king by the deity. Following this custom, it is said that the Nayakkar names of Kannasamy –Muttusamy have been changed as Vijaya Rajasinha.
The Natha Devale is constructed entirely from rock. The architecture is different to that of other buildings belonging to the Kandyan period and takes the form of a Hindu temple. In the book, Shariputra written in Sanskrit and referred to by sculptors in Sri Lanka, the deity is described as Shivanatha, Brahmanatha, Vishnunatha, Gaurinatha, Mathseyendranatha, Bhadranatha, Bauddhanatha and Gananatha. The colour yellow is attributed to the Natha deiyo (deity).
Visnu Devalaya is also known as the Maha Devalaya. Originally this devalaya was situated in Aluthnuwara close to Mawanella on the Colombo-Kandy road. It was re-located in Kandy during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Rajasinha. This was due to the invasion of the Portuguese who came to the upcountry areas. The Aluthnu-wara devale was looted and destroyed by the Portuguese on their way upto Gannoruwa in Kandy.
It is stated that the coronation of the Kandyan kings had taken place in the Vishnu devale. This devale perahera follows the Natha Devale Perahera. The deity is coloured blue.
Keeping with this theme, all the elephants are in blue ‘Eth Hetta’ the cloth covering the elephants. The bulbs on the tusker carrying the insignia of the deity are also blue.
After the conclusion of the Esala Perahera, the ‘ Valiyak Mangalya’ is performed for seven days in the devale premises. This is a shanthi karmaya – to bless all artistes and others who were
involved in the Perahera.
It is not clear by whom and when the Kataragama Devale was constructed in Kandy. It is situated in the present Kotugodella Vidiya in the centre of the busy city. In earlier times, this street was known as the ‘Kavikara Vidiya.’ This deity is also known as Skanda Kumara. People believe that the deity protects them from enemy action. The main devalaya in the name of this deity is situated in Ruhunu Kataragama, south of Sri Lanka.
The Kataragama deity is considered a Hindu deity and originally the Kapuralas who conducted the rituals had been Brahmins from India.
The Kataragama Devala Perahera follows the Vishnu Devala Perahera and is quite different to the other devale peraheras. It has distinct Hindu cultural items. The peacock is the deity’s ‘vahanaya’ or vehicle. The deity is always depicted seated on a peacock. The colour red is prominent and dancers and drummers are dressed in red. A unique feature is the ‘Kavadi’ dance and also young men with iron hooks fixed on to their skins hanging from a string attached to a contraption, or being pulled by others with long strings. It is said that this is a penance to honour a vow they have made. The flute music and the drumming are also different to that of the other devales.
A female Hindu Goddess Padmini is worshipped for good health and prosperity. Details regarding the Kandy Pattini Devalaya are not clear. King Narendra Sinha is credited for building the devale. Historical belief is that the deity’s anklets have been brought to this country and placed in this devale and a replica - resembling anklets, are placed in all the Pattini devales.
As Goddess Pattini is a female idol, it is a unique feature to see female dancers performing only in this Perahera.
The climax of the Perahera is the Daval Perahera (Day Perahera). On the return of the devale peraheras after the watercutting ceremony, the Randoli are placed at the Pillayar Kovil in Katukelle. On the day of the Daval Perahera, in the afternoon around 2 p.m the devale peraheras proceed to Kandy city and join the Maligawa Perahera which will arrive from the Gedige Viharaya. The perahera circles the temple square(Maligawa Chaturassaya) three times and finally disperses, with each returning to their respective devales, bringing to an end another Sri Dalada Esala Perahera.