Significant cultural pageant:

Bellanwila Esala perahera parades the streets

By Premasara Epasinghe

Nestling in a serene environment, bordered by a bird sanctuary, there lies one of the most venerated Buddhist centres, Bellanwila Raja Maha Vihara. It is situated about 15 k.m. South of Colombo.

The Bellanwila Bo-tree (Ficus religiosa) is considered as an off-shoot of the Jayasri Maha Bodhi tree.

The name Bellanwila was first mentioned in Sinhala Bodhivamsa written by Wilgamulla Thera.

As Bellanwila was one of the few places where one of the 32 Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi saplings was planted, it has become a sacred place for Buddhists around the world. The documentary evidence shows that even during the Anuradhapura period there was a flourishing Buddhist settlement at Bellanwila.

There are many views on how the word 'Bellanwila' was formed. Some believe that it was formed joining the two words Bellan (Shells) with Vila (a pond or tank). According to another view it was a place where they found many Beli trees (Aegle marmelos ) and a stretch of paddy fields (Vil - Vela). Therefore, the place came to be known as Bellanwila.

Chequered history

Bellanwila Raja Maha Vihara has a chequered history. It was in existence at the Sacred Jayasri Maha Bodhi sapling was brought from India to Anuradhapura. Even during the Kotte period when Parakramabahu VI was ruling the country the temple was a place of religious worship.

The sacred Bo-tree at the Bellanwila temple premises was discovered accidentally by Ven. Thengodagedara Nayaka Thera.

Historian Dr. Colvin R. de Silva once wrote "Winds and waves brought Portuguese to Ceylon, but spices and Christianity kept them here ".

With the advent the Portuguese to Ceylon in 1505 A.D. many Buddhist temples were demolished. There was utter chaos in the kingdom of Kotte. Bellanwila area also was badly affected. Under the Dutch and British regimes Buddhism suffered due to the lack of royal patronage.

In 1850, Ven. Thengodageddara Nayaka Thera while travelling in a boat in Katuela Canal to Dehiwala, heard a sound of drums in the jungle shrubs covering the Bellanwila area. The Nayaka Thera cleared the shrubs in the jungle and searched the area to locate from where the sound of drums came. Then he found the sacred Bellanwila Bo-tree. Later, Bhikkhus put up a small Avasa , a small dwelling house, and looked after the Bodhi with care.

On the passing away of Thengodagedara Nayaka Thera many other prelates became the chief incumbents of the historic temple, Bellanwila Raja Maha Vihara.

They were Ven. Udugampola Rathanapala Thera, Ven. Udugampola Sri Dhammakkandha, Ven. Webada Sri Sagharathana Ven. Asgiriye Deverakkhitha Ven. Bellanwila Somaratana and the present incumbent Ven. Dr. Bellanwila Dhammaratana and Ven Prof. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Nayaka Thera, Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

The golden era of the Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara dawned in the 1940s during the Ven. Bellanwila Somaratana Nayaka Thera's period.

Devotees

Today Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara is one of the most venerated Buddhist temples not only in the Western Province but also in the entire island. Many local devotees flock to worship the sacred Bo-tree daily. Today, it is also a great tourist attraction.

The Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara is a centre for young men and women to undergo professionally oriented training courses. The temple also helps needy people, holds health camps and Shramadhana campaigns.

The Bellanwila perahera first started during the late chief incumbent Bellanwila Somaratana Nayaka Thera in 1950. Today it is one of the greatest cultural pageants of Sri Lanka.

The 63rd Bellanwila Esala Maha pageant began on August 15 with a Dhamma sermon in memory of the founder of the Bellanwila Perehara Bellanwila Somaratana Nayaka Thera.

The Pirith ceremony will begin today and continue till August 24, with Dorakada Asna and Anusasana. The Mal Perahera will take place from August 25 to 28. The Pawada and Ransivili Perahera will be held on August 29 and 30.

The Randoli Maha Perehera will parade the streets on August 31. The significant cultural pageant will come to a close on September 1 with the water-cutting ceremony and Deva Danaya.

The Rajamaha Vihara premises at Bellanwila and its devalas in the Bo-maluwa are filled to capacity daily. There are Devalas for gods Vishnu, Kataragama, Saman, Vibeeshana, Natha, Pattini, Gambara, Dedimunda, Ganeshwera and Iswara in the temple premises. The Devalas have been modelled according to the style of Polonnaruwa architecture.

The Sri Lanka Community Development Foundation, Tharuna Bauddha Sanvidanaya, Kulangana Samithiya, teachers and pupils' of the Sunday school, devotees and the organising committee of the Bellanwila Esala Maha Perahera have lent their support to make the Esala pageant a success.

There will be more than 50 elephants parading the streets along with the majestic elephant that carries the casket containing the sacred Buddha relics. There will be more than 100 dancers who will perform up-country and low-country dances.

Whip crackers and torch-bearers will add colour to the pageant which will depict the Buddhist cultural heritage of Sri Lanka.

The organisers will telecast on a website (www.bellanwila.org) the proceedings of the Maha Randoli Perahera on August 31 at 9 p.m.