Festivals
Sri Lanka has more festival days them any-where on earth.
There is so much here to enjoy it's no wonder the Lankans
love to party. They have a plethora of celebra- tions demanding
ritual, religion, razzmatazz and pageantry, and enough elephants,
drum- mers, dancers and temples as exotic backdrops. The
current calendar lists 29 public holidays for the year but
that only takes care of the elaborate religious holidays
and feast days cele- brated by the Buddhists, Hindus, Christians
and Muslims. There are other causes to celebrate if you
are born on this island: the first cut- ting of the sod
before mining for gems; moving to a new home; laying foundations
for a building; the first day at school; or the complex
ritual practised by farmers after harvesting the grain and
giving thanks to the guardian of all treasures of the earth
-these are just some events taken very seriously. Add to
that the secular holidays of May Day, Independence Day,
National Heroes' Day and the Poya holiday which occurs every
full moon and you will see why most tourists are delighted
by this overkill on festivities. Anyone visiting on business,
however, needs to consider the impact on their schedule.
Sinhalese New Year
Sinhala and Tamil New Year is called .Sinhala Avurudu despite
being celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists alike. It
marks the com- pletion of the solar circuit and has to be
astro- logically determined. So the Sinhala Avurudu may
begin at 3pm somewhere between 13 and !5 April, depending
on the sages. No business !worth its salt will stay open
for this orthodox time of great rejoicing. To complicate
matters even more, there is an astrological conclusion to
the old year and the few hours beyond the lew are the neutral
period which is reserved or religious activity, regardless
of the religion me might practise. The New Year customs
are highly complex and the rituals are carried out between
members of one's family, business associates, local tradesmen
and even beggars. New clothes are worn, horoscopes are foretold,
money is given and special foods are made, served and offered
to the gods.
Vesak
Vesak is celebrated on the day of the full moon in May.
It is the most hallowed of Buddhist festivals, almost a
Christmas, Easter and Whitsun rolled into one as it commemorates
the birth of the Buddha, his enlightenment and his death.
Perhaps Buddhists feel short-changed that their spiritual
leader chose to attain the light and die all on the day
he was born or they would have attained the light and had
the razzmatazz of yetanother couple of feast days. But for
the tourist this festival is a good time to be here. Myriad
paper lanterns in every colour and shape under the sun deck
out the streets, shops and temples. Tiny clay coconut oil
lamps are lit in every street and village and in the cities
electrically illuminated pandals are put up depicting events
in the Buddha's life. Buses and cars are deco- rated in
streamers and garlands. Because it is considered meritorious
to offer gifts of food and drink during the festival, you
will find specially constructed roadside booths called dansal
where both are offered free of charge. The fare on offer
ranges from rice and curry to Vesak sweetmeats. The devout,
a steady stream of white-clad sil takers, can be seen waiting
to pass through the temples. Obtaining spiritual purity
for them meanscon- summing only coriander or ginger tea
from 12 noon until they give up the fast and observing the
Buddhist precepts.
Poson
To experience the full impact of the advent of Buddhism,
the visitor should see Mihintale. It was here that the reigning
monarch first en- countered Mahinda, the son of Emperor
Asoka who brought Buddhism from India. The June Poson is
celebrated all around the island but at Mihintale you get
to see the works. The temples are crowded with white-garbed
devotees, the streets are illuminated and decorated. It
is second only to Vesak itself.
Kandy's Perahera
Robert Knox described Kandy's Perahera in detail in his
journals in 1681: "The Perahar at Cande is ordered after
this manner...first some forty or fifty elephants, with
brass Bells hanging on each side of them, which tingle as
they go. Next, follow men dressed up like Gyants, which
go dancing along agreeable to a tradition they have, that
anciently there were huge men, that could carry vast burthens,
and pull up trees by the roots. After them go a great multitude
of Drummers, and Trumpetters and Pipers which make such
a great and loud noise, that nothing else beside them can
be heard." Although August is a month for festivals and
Peraheras all around the island, the Kandy Perahera today
is more magnificent and mind- blasting than any. The entire
town comes to a standstill for this spectacular event, which
lasts for 12 days. So if you are claustrophobic or averse
to dressed-up elephants, whip-cracking acrobats, loud and
constant drumming, decorous and energetic dancers, each
group more shimmering and stupefying than the next, then
head out of town fast. But you many never see anything quite
like this again.
Vel
Vel is the Hindu festival held in Colombo during July or
sometimes August to venerate the trident of Skanda, the
god of war. The main event is a great gilded temple chariot
which contains the ayudha (weapons) of this fierce god,
headed by two humped black bulls but actually drawn by hundreds
of devotees dressed in the egalitarian white waist cloth
and shawl and smeared with holy ash. It's quite impossible
to recognise some of Colombo's wealthiest Hindus amongst
them. Every year the vel of Skanda is carried in a procession
that starts at the Sea Street kovil in the Pettah district
of Colombo and moves onto the Bambalapitiya kovil5 km (3
miles) away and alternatively each year to the Wellawatta
kovil. The temple whose turn it is goes to town with gaudy
stalls selling souvenirs, sugar cane and sugary sweets of
many hues. Don't worry if you are late to catch the vel
procession; the 6.5 km (4-mile) journey proceeds at a snail's
pace and takes a whole day, which makes it fabulous for
the curious and a hideous slog for the Hindus dragging the
cart. Hindu festivities are at their most vibrant in the
Jaffna area during this same season; the Nagapooshani Ammal
on the island of Nainativu, the Perumal and the Sellasannathi
at Thondamannar, where you can see firewalking by devotees,
are just some of a host of extraor- dinarily colourful festivals.
For the time being at least, the visitor to Sri Lanka will
miss these. But a smaller festival, the Kali at Munneswaram
near Chilaw is fascinating, and the Uddapu and Mundel festivals
which take place in July also include fire walking.
Kataragama
Kataragama is not so much a festival, more a way of life
for the thousands of pilgrims who make the journey by foot,
some from as far as Batticaloa. Without the vast throng
of pilgrims in action this most holy spot on the island
has remarkably little of interest to the traveller. Indeed,
visit it outside the two-week period of festivities and
you will wonder what brought you here. But during the festival,
when the devotees practise self-mortification, it bursts
into life. Penances include scorching sand to roll naked
on and hot coals to walk barefoot over. Some participants
poke a srear through one cheek, skewering the tongue as
it passes through the other side. For many the acts of penance
don't just start on arrival since they have carried a kavadi,
a decorated arched yoke, for up to 160 km ( 100miles) without
putting it down. The chanting of the pilgrims, the dancers,
the blowing of conch shells ( held to be nada, the primordial
sound) the Complex drumming, the myriad, shrines and deities
all decked out in profuse garlands and the colourful offerings
combine to make this festival an unforgettable experience.
It brings to gether christians, buddhists, Hindus, muslims
and veddhas, all of whom workship here and become part of
the throng.
Deepavali
Deepavali is a festival of lights celebrated by Hindus and
usually held at the end of October lor the beginning of
November. Thousands of flickering oil lamps are lit to denote
the triumph of good over evil as Raffia returned after his
period of exile and to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity.
For the mulim community, the Id-ul-fitr marks the end of
ramadan, a month's fasting from dawn till dusk when the
devout will not eat or drink, even water, during the day.
Adam's Peak
The Pilgrimage to this holy mountain begins in December
and carries right through to mid-April. A sophisticated
Muslim from Tangier, Ibn Batuta, described his ascent of
1344: " On the mountain are two paths leading to the Foot
of Adam. The one is Known by the name of 'the Father's path'
and the other of 'The Mother's Path'. By these terms are
Adam and Eve designated. The Mother's route is an easy one,
and by it the pilgrims retum; but anyone who took it for
the ascent would be regarded as not having done the pilgrimage.
The Father's Path is rough and difficult of ascent." Pilgrims
of Christian, Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu faiths have been
venerating this foot- print of Adam, Buddha or the Prophet
Moham- med since the Ilth century. Unique traditions have
mushroomed: first time climbers pile turbans of white cloth
on their heads; the lndikatupana or "Place of the needle'
is where the devout stop and fling a threaded needle into
a bush beside the path marking the spot where buddha paused
to mend his robe. At the summit you many clang the bell
to say you have completed the pilgrimage of sripada.
Duruthu Perahera
The Duruthu Perahera, held at the Raja Maha Vihara temple
in Kelaniya, 8 km (5 miles) out- side Colombo, is second
only to the Kandy per- ahera in spectacle. Held annually
in January, it commemorates the first visit of the Buddha
to Sri Lanka.
Pongal
Pongal Here at least is one festival you can count on being
on the same day every year, as Hindus celebrate 14 January
in honour of the sun god. The word ponkkol means boiling
over and, after worship at the kovil, a huge pot of rice
is ceremoniously cooked in spicy sweetened milk and left
to boil over. The direction of the spilling will indicate
good or bad luck in the coming year. And the rest makes
a delicious sacramental feast.
Poya Days
The buddha urged his disciples to undertake special spiritual
practices on every full moon. (poyal) day, and the practice
has stood the test of time. Buddhists still venerate each
poya day, spending it in meditation and workship in the
temple. In Srilanka every poya day is a public holiday,
the one in may being of particular significance. Srilankans
take poya days very seriously, particularly if they fall
on a Friaday or Monday. People often travel around the island
at this time, so be warned that hotels and buses and trains
are likely to be on sale, but some tourist hotels will not
deprive foreign guests.
May (Vesak)
Commemorates the triple anniversary in the Buddha's life.
birth, death and the day he attained enlightenment. The
third and final visit of the Buddha to srilanka was on a
Vesak poya Day.
June ( Poson)
Marks the introduction of Buddhism to srilanka by the sage
Mahinda in the 2nd century Bc .
July ( Esala)
Celebrates the arrival of the Tooth Relic in Srilanka and
delivery of the first sermon by the Buddha.
Augest (Nikini)
Marks the three-month retreat of the bhikkhus, which was
held soon after the Buddha passed away.
September (Binara)
Remembers Buddhas trip to heaven to preach to his mother
and celebrates the Bhikkhuni (Nuns'Order)
October (Vap)
marks the return of Buddha to earth.
November (IL)
Celebrates the ordination of 60 disciples by the Buddha
to spread his teaching.
December(Unduvap)
Marks the arrival of a Bo tree sapling in Srilanka 2,300
years ago
January ( Duruthu)
Honours the Buddha's first visit to srilanka.
February (Navam)
Marks Buddha's declaration at the age of 80 that his own
life would end in there months.
March ( Medin)
Celebrates the first visit of the enlightened Buddha to
his father's palace.
April ( Bak)
Commemrates the second visit of the Buddha to Srilanka five
years after enlightenment.
