Festivals to witness when you visit Kandy

The Esela Perahara

Kandiyan Weddings

Poruwa rituals are practiced by all Buddhists during their weddings, and for Kandyans the poruwa ceremony is a special part of their marriage customs. As those who visit Kandy Sri Lanka will be able to observe, the Kandyans, unlike those living in other parts of the country who have given way to foreign influence, protect the traditional marriage customs by strictly adhering to the age old customs.

If you visit Kandy Sri Lanka you will be able to see that as in the olden days when marriages were arranged by the elders, at present too, a certain amount of arranged marriages take place among Kandyans, sometimes with the assistance of a “Kapuwa” (professional marriage broker). In these instances the most important factor is considered to be the compatibility of the horoscopes. Of secondary consideration is the compatibility of the couple and the family background. Even when young people find their own partners horoscopes and family background are carefully considered prior to the elders’ offering their consent to the marriage.

Astrologers are consulted prior to fixing dates for the marriage and all rituals are carried out according to auspicious times, predetermined by the astrologers. These include auspicious times to construct the Poruwa, dressing of the bride, preparation of oil cakes and handing over of invitations.

If you visit Kandy Sri Lanka and take part in a wedding ceremony, you can observe that all the rituals of the Poruwa, from the arrival of the Bride Groom, take place at predetermined auspicious times. Having arrived in two separate processions lead by dancers and drummers, the Bride and Groom take up their positions at the Poruwa on the right and left hand side respectively. The Poruwa itself is built with a canopy with a white cloth laid out on the floor on which raw rice and roasted paddy are strewn. Jasmine flowers are generally used to decorate the canopy while four pots with coconut flowers are placed on each corner of the canopy with a lamp placed in each pot.

The Bride and Groom step onto the Poruwa helped by their maternal uncle or father to the beating of drums and the blowing of conch shells at the auspicious time. As can be seen by those who visit Kandy Sri Lanka and witness a poruwa ceremony, the groom ties a gold chain around the neck of the bride and places a ring on the left fourth finger, following which the bride too places a ring on the right fourth finger of the groom.

It is generally a maternal uncle or the father of the bride who ties the nuptial knot with a gold strand or Pirith noola and pours holy water on the fingers to bless the couple. At this stage special chants are carried out and the couple is directed to place a sheaf of betel to the Gods on the canopy of the Poruwa. The couple then exchanges seven sheaves of betel and then drops them on to the floor. The Jaya mangala gathas, which are sung to bless the couple by a bevy of young girls, then take place. The couple offers Betel to their parents and other elders. It is customary for the bridegroom to offer a roll of white cloth to the Mother-in-law as a token of his gratitude for bringing up a daughter worthy to be his wife. Once these rituals have been observed, the couple steps down from the Poruwa at the stipulated auspicious time. As they step down, a coconut is split in one stroke to starve off any evil.

The sinhala aluth avurudu festival

The Sinhala New Year festival, to be witnessed by those who visit Kandy, Sri Lanka, is the most important among the Sinhala festivals. As can be observed when you visit Kandy Sri Lanka, the Buddhist people observe the dawning of the New Year with age old customs.

The Sinhala New Year is observed in the month of April and for those who wish to be involved with the festivities, it is best to visit Kandy Sri Lanka, during this time of the year. The beginning of the New Year is marked by the sun entering the sign of Aries from the sign of Pisces around the 13th or 14th of April, depending upon astrological calculations. Auspicious times connected with the New Year are given in Almanacs, Diaries or Calendars, making them available to all households to ensure the performing of rites at the correct times.

If you arrive in the country and visit Kandy Sri Lanka in late March, you would be able to feel the excitement in the air. This is owing to the fact that preparations for the New Year festivities begin as early as March when people start shopping for new clothes (according to the specified colour for the New Year) for all members of the family and for those who would be given gifts. Food items are stored for the long holiday which will bring many visitors to the home and elaborate meals are prepared for family gatherings.

If you visit Kandy Sri Lanka during the festivities you would undoubtedly be treated to the special food that is prepared for the New Year. These include the traditional sweet meats such as kavum (oil cakes), kokis, athiraha, aggala, aluwa, mung kavum, etc. Since the preparation of these food items, which are considered essential for the festivities of the New Year, are laborious and time consuming, most households begin the task early. Some even obtain the help of outsiders who are professionals at preparing these sweet meats. Most of these sweet meats are made using rice flour, green gram flour with treacle and jaggery.

If you wish observe the rituals of the New Year when you visit Kandy Sri Lanka, you would be provided with an exact time, determined by the astrologers, to cease all work for the old year. Everyone is expected to partake of their last meal for the old year before this time and finish all tasks they were previously involved in. This includes cleaning of the hearth and having one’s last bath.

The period following the ceasing of work is called nonagathaya. This is the neutral period before the New Year arrives which is believed to be neither auspicious nor inauspicious. No food should be cooked or eaten, and no serious work should be done during this period. People are expected to be involved in religious activities and traditional games during the period of the nonagathaya.

At the dawn of the New Year, everyone in the house is dressed in new clothes. The housewife lights the hearth facing a specified direction at the precise time indicated by astrologers. This is the first fire which is lighted after the nonagathaya and a pot of milk is boiled in a new clay pot and allowed to spill over as a sign of prosperity to the household during the New Year. The milk rice which would be placed on the table for the first meal of the New Year is cooked using this same milk.

Even if you are not directly involved in the festivities, if you happen to visit Kandy Sri Lanka during the New Year, you would hear the continuous roar of fire crackers which marks the beginning of the New Year. The entire country seems to engage in lighting fire crackers to herald the New Year.

A traditional oil lamp adorns every household at this time and is lit prior to partaking of food. The first meal for the New Year is also partaken at an auspicious time facing the direction indicated by the astrologers. The table is laid with a vast variety of delicacies, many of which are only cooked for this occasion during the entire year.

The young people worship the elders of their household by offering betel and in turn receive blessings for a prosperoud and healthy New Year. The young children are presented with gifts.

The work that was abandoned during the nonagathaya period is resumed at an auspicious time following the dawn of the New Year. Most households commence their work by cutting a tree with milk sap since it is believed that this act would bring in good luck and blessings in all work engaged in during the New Year. Some other households opt to perform work such as planting a tree, reading a book or carry out a basic transaction.

As you will undoubtedly observe when you visit Kandy Sri Lanka during the festivities, the New Year is primarily a time for rejoicing, visiting relatives and friends and for reconciliation of old grievances. Since this is one of the rare occasions where a long holiday is declared across the island, it provides the ideal opportunity for family reunions and long visits.

If you travel interior to the rural villages when you visit Kandy Sri Lanka, you will be able to witness the Bak Maha festival which is organized for the whole village and at which everyone enthusiastically gathers for sport and celebration. This is a rare occasion at which people are presented with the chance of engaging in traditional games such as climbing the greased pole, pillow fight, raban (group drum) contest, olinda and elle.

This is probably the ideal time of the year to visit Kandy Sri Lanka since the weather is also at its best and the festivities are organized outdoors for the benefit of spectators from outside.

As those who visit Kandy Sri Lanka will observe, April is also the traditional month of harvest in Sri Lanka. Every farmer will religiously offer the first meal made from his harvest to the village temple. One can also observe an abundance of food during this period with with many trees bearing fruit. The special fruit that come out during this season include jambu, lovi, veralu, uguressa and mango, these are naturally sweet and will delight those who opt to taste them when they visit Kandy Sri Lanka.

The designated day on which everyone should anoint their head with special oil prior to taking their first bath for the New Year at the designated auspicious time, takes place a few days following the New Year day. The special oil to be used is prepared by the village temple and all villagers gather at the temple to get their heads anointed by the head priest himself. Those who are unable to visit the temples perform the ritual at home, with the head of the household performing this task of anointing the heads of the rest of the householders. The astrologers also set out an auspicious day and time on which those who are employed are to leave for work. An auspicious direction which is to be faced by those leaving home for work is also set forth.