The Esala Perahera's changing composition over the years

by Sumana Saparamadu

In common parlance this grand annual pageant is the Kandy perahera, but it is the Esala perahera held annually from the time Senkadagala Nuwara became the Maha Nuwara or capital of the Sinhala Kingdom.

Robert Knox who was kept a prisoner by King Rajasingha II for 20 years (1660 - 1679) has recorded that "a solemn feast was celebrated in the city of Kandy in the month of June-July."

Kandy's Esala perahera was originally known as the Satara devala (four devala) perahera and it was the finale of the Esala Mangalla.

The Esala Mangalla is in honour of a particular god or gods and the devala or kovil is the venue of the festival. Some of the festivals are the Ruhunu Kataragama festival in honour of God Kataragama and the Devinuwara in honour of God Vishnu. At Munneswaram the festival is in honour of God Ishvara, at Nallur God Kandasamy and Goddess Pattini in Nawagamuwa.

It was only in 1752/53 that the Maligawa or Dalada perahera was added to the Satara devala perahera. It was done on a suggestion of Upali Thera who had come from Siam (now Thailand) to confer the Upasampada (higher ordination) on the Sinhala bhikkhus.

Watching the Satara devala perahera, the Thera felt sad that the Buddha had no place in this grand procession and he told this to Sangharaja Saranankara who conveyed it to the king. King Keerthi Sri Rajasingha then gave an order that henceforth the perahera should be led by the Maligawa perahera taking the Sacred Tooth Relic for public veneration.

The order of the perahera is as follows: Natha Devala perahera follows the Maligawa perahera and Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini devala follow in that order. Natha Devala perahera follows the Maligawa perahera taking precedence over Vishnu, as Natha is the guardian God of Maha Nuwara.

The composition of the perahera has changed over the years when Dr. John Davy, physician to the British Governor saw the perahera in the last days of the Kingdom of Kandy, the king, queen and ladies of the court walked in the procession. Now there are women only in the Pattini devala perahera. Now rows and rows of young men dressed in white carrying Buddhist flags are part of the perahera. Some folk dances by women have also been introduced.

Although the composition of the perahera has changed over the years the rites haven't changed. The perahera starts sharp at the auspicious time. The rites are followed meticulously. The first is the planting of the 'Kap' - the sacred post with which the festival begins. The diya kapeema brings the festival to a close.

Planting of the 'Kap'

On an auspicious day before the new moon, the Basnayaka Nilame the chief lay official of each devala - assemble under a young jak tree that has borne no fruit, and has a trunk of a certain girth.

The tree is fumigated with burning resin - dummala and smears with a preparation of sandalwood. Nine lamps and nine flowers are placed on nine betel leaves at the feet of the tree as offerings.

Then, the tree is felled by a woodcutter dressed in white, who has earlier purified himself by sprinkling lime juice on his body.

The woodcutter divides the trunk into four equal parts and each part is carried to the devalas led by tom-tom beaters.

On the day of the new moon, this piece of consecrated wood is planted in the devala grounds, protected by an awning and is covered and decorated with tender coconut palm leaves, flowers and fruits.

Diya kapeema - water cutting ceremony

After the Maha perahera goes back to the Maligawa, and the other peraheras (processions) to their respective devalas, the procession forms again after midnight and heads for Asgiriya Vihara. The Tooth Relic is placed, with much reverence in the Vihara. The Maligawa perahera remains at Asgiriya while the four devala peraheras proceed to the Getambe Ferry, where a boat is waiting for them, in midstream.

The kapuralas or priests of the devalas each with an attendant gets into the back and rows up the river carrying swords and pitchers.

At the first flush of dawn, the kapuralas strike the water with the golden swords, as the strike, the attendants amply the pitchers of last year's water and fill them with fresh water that the water has touched.

This ceremony brings the perahera to a close.