Deva dana-forest ritual to thank the gods

By Manjula Fernando

Some of the beliefs that people entertain are mysterious and perplexing. They can contradict common sense or sometimes even ridicule the intellect, yet the phenomena connected with these beliefs can at times catch you off guard. It may lack rationale and leave you baffled.

The Deva dana being laid out

Village elders preparing the dana

The large swathe of land cleared for cultivation

If a villager said that a ritual passed on from generation to generation brought rain or pacified a raging pachyderm to spare a farmer walking to his cultivation at dusk, one should always remember never to smirk, because it is believed that if you do so one would suffer dire consequences because retribution would be meted out by the 'forest god'.

This was the rationale behind a mystical ritual that we were fortunate to witness in Maha Oya recently.

The Deva dana (offerings to the gods) was held to bless a large swathe of land being reforested by the Forest Department at the Omunugala Reserve.

The reforestation program was organised by the people in the village who toil day and night to protect the saplings in the nursery from wild hare and porcupines and later protect the budding trees of the new plantation in the jungle.

The ritual had the blessings of the Range Forest Officer(RFO) Sarath Weerasena attached to the Maha Oya Forest Office and his junior and senior officers.

The villagers know that it is in the forest is where the majestic pachyderms show their might, the wild leopard and bear hunt and venomous snakes lurk. Danger is omnipresent. Humans are at the mercy of an unseen enemy. Villagers however, believe an elusive protector is out there to keep them away from harm.

"We must believe what they believe and live by their rules when we are in their territory," the RFO said. He was telling us the thinking behind the 'deva dana', a sacred belief among village folk.

"I have served in many parts of the country during my long years as a forest officer. It is something that I have learned through experience, if you can relate to the locals your job is much easier". He said his beliefs may not conform with what these innocent villagers' embrace but as long as the officers needed their help to look after the forest which they understood better, it was always safe to let them call the shots. Besides, no one dared to challenge the gods.

People believe this particular locale, Bintenna Pattuwa, belongs to the Lord of Wisdom - Lord Ganapathi.

The table or the 'thattuwa' of the ritual was laid across at one of the entrance points to the forest, where their plantation is located. Not less than a dozen gods were invited to accept the offerings, mainly a type of sweet milk rice prepared with sultanas and dates. The Deva Samagama was led by God Muruga with others such as Lord Ganapathi, Saman, Eeshwara, Wishnu, Minneriya and Goddess Patthini too being invited, the 'Kapurala' said.

Villages collected money to buy supplies for the 'Dana' which was intended to please these gods, goddesses and deities. Approximately 35 kilos of white rice, 50 coconuts, 500g of sultanas, 3kg dates, 5 kg sugar, 5kg green gram and 5kg Jaggery were used to prepare the sweet rice.

The place was decorated with Kohomba and Mango leaves, Coconut and Areca nut flowers. The offering table was scattered with betel leaves, coconuts, flowers of different colours and coins. The lighted incense sticks serenaded the whole atmosphere with its aroma and whiffs of smoke, coupled with the first rays of sunlight. The place was amply set to receive the descending gods.

Young ones chipping in to help in the preparations

Collecting water from the nearby stream for cleansing purposes

When we visited the place, around 7 am, it was a beehive of activity. A few feet wide stream flowed on one side where the ritual was performed. 'Gokkola' (coconut fronds) decorations lined the stream.

In December, Omunugala Forest Reserve at Bogamu Yaya in the Maha Oya Range resembled a Wet Zone forest. Where ever you look you could only see lush greenery. The temperature was surprisingly mild, enhanced by the light drizzle throughout the previous night.

You needed to across the shallow waters in the stream to enter the forest reserve. But the activity was at the entrance.

The men were busy preparing the sweet rice. According to custom the women were not allowed to take part. Small boys eager to help their fathers and uncles, were engaged in numerous duties. Smiles on their faces radiated to show how much they enjoyed the work. But beneath the smiles and carefree chatter, we could sense a deep respect and gratitude for the unseen gods and deities.

The nursery of Bogamuyaya forest reserve was tended to for over seven months by the village folk, over 75 men and women to be precise. They were from the nearby villages of Bogamu Yaya, Unuwathura Bubula and Samagipura. With Khaya (Khaya Senagalensis), Mee, Teak, Kohomba, Cashew, Jak fruit, Kumbuk and Kaluwara the entire nursery had about 125,000 seedlings. Managing it was never an easy job.

Apart from natural diseases, the forest officers had to protect the small plants from hares, porcupines and other animals who were attracted to the lush and juicy plants that were growing rapidly with meticulous care and constant watering. A wrack of rabbits swarming the nursery when no one is paying attention is no joke, they are 'brisk munchers'.

The men and women were tasked with planting seedlings, transporting them, preparing land, fertilising and weeding.

This is one of the biggest re-forestation plots of the Department, which covered 30.5 hectares of Dry Zone forest. Before the re-plantation, the State Timber Corporation (STC) last year removed a teak plantation that was grown since 1964. The STC will pay the Forest Department for the 5995 teak trees that were felled. The wood goes to make one of the finest pieces of furniture sold by the Corporation.

The Bogamuyaya nursery was laid in August. The forest officers with the villagers made a vow that if they were to complete their task according to their wishes and were on target, a 'Deva Dana' will be offered. The vow was secured by hanging a coconut on a tree.

This was an important custom in keeping with their faith. It boosts the morale of the villagers. Maha Oya is where the human- elephant conflict is intense. During night shifts at the plantation, more often than not the workers are confronted with large herds of elephants roaming for food. But it's the 'thaniya', (the lone elephant) that they fear the most. Many a day the officers had to rush to the forest 'wadiya' in the night where a watcher was stationed to help him chase away elephants.

"Amazingly, for the past many months none of our workers were affected by natural disaster or by wild beasts. No one was struck by lightening. This is truly a miracle. "

There were times, during the first days of planting, when they prayed for rain. It was the driest period of the year. It was scorching hot that even staying indoors was unbearable. During such days, as if by a vision a sudden drizzle fell on their plantation.

"No science can explain this. Now it is time to repay for the good tidings to whom the villagers believe did all these for us. Compared to the gains we have reaped, what we do today is very little," RFO Weerasena said. Beat Forest Officer (BFO) Chamara Pradeep Suranga and Forest Assistant Sunil Shantha who are in charge of the new plantation were also there to take part in the ritual organised by the villagers. Additional RFO Gayan Tissera and BFO R.G.Gunatillaka who was in charge of the nursery before the plantation was started, too, spoke to the Sunday Observer.

Suranga, has a mighty job in the coming years. Sunil, his colleague has been transferred to Kandy this year. The first year of the re-plantation involves three maintenance rounds, to weed out and trim the plants. In the second year it will be done twice and the third year just once, thereafter the small trees will be ready to grow on their own.

For three years they have to keep a close watch over the plantation to protect it from herbivores - wild hare, porcupines as well as elephants. He will have to oversee this major task.

The Omunugala Forest Reserve is close to Nuwaragala Kanda where according to folklore King Saddatissa, brother of King Dutugemunu cultivated rice to supply food for his brother's army.

The famous Rambakkan Oya tank and the ruins of 178 big and small tanks that fed the kings' cultivations are still to be seen. With the chanting by the Kapurala and the sounds of the Hak Gediya we parted company leaving the villagers and the forest guards to dwell in their ritual and taste the sweet rice that was made and kept by the forest stream.