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| Sunday, 2 May 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Lighting up for Vesak : Paying homage with beauty by LAKMAL WELABADA I still remember the 'bata' (small bamboo) bush at the compound next
door which we used lavishly to make the frames or skeletons of Vesak
lanterns when we were small. The bush disappeared when a Small Vesak lanterns, Buddhist flags and Vesak cards that are being sold on the sides along the main roads, and the Vesak pandols and huge Vesak lanterns which are still covered and kept for public display remind us that the Vesak full moon will shine in the sky next Tuesday. Vesak Poya day differs from other normal Poyas since it is the day commemorating three significant events of the Buddha's life; birth, enlightenment and passing away. Vesak celebrations take two forms; 'Prathipaththi pooja' (mainly observing sil and paying the homage to the Buddha by following what the disciples taught in the Buddhist doctrine) and 'Aamisa pooja' (paying homage to the Buddha by offering 'poojas' with flowers, incenses and various kinds of illuminative items). Vesak lanterns and pandols fall into the category of Aamisa pooja. Pandols and sometimes gigantic lanterns which come to life on Vesak day at public places adorn Jathaka stories (previous births of The Buddha when he was a 'Bodhisathva') and interesting incidents that took place in the Buddha's life. These Vesak lanterns and pandols are open to public for about a week in May beginning from the Vesak full moon Poya day.
Buddhist homes never hesitate to hoist a Buddhist flag, light a row of oil lamps and illuminate their front garden or the front part of their house with Vesak lanterns during the two days of Vesak celebrations. Unlike ten or twenty years ago, today's illumination of gardens for Vesak is different. As I stated at the beginning, bata bushes and una bamboo trees are rarely seen in our neighbourhood. Villagers may be still making their own Vesak lanterns, but the city people go mostly for the readymade ones sold on the road in the temporary stalls. This has become yet another seasonal business for those seeking temporary work. Anura Silva who works as a labourer has occupied a small temporary hut to sell his Vesak lanterns in front of Sir Henry Pedris Park at Havelock Town. His wife and three children are also with him helping out in the chopping and fixing of bata and una bamboos, pasting the Sau (tissue) papers and turning out both simple as well as colourful lanterns. "Some customers prefer to buy the frame of the lantern. They paste the papers and decorate the lantern at home. Some prefer the fully finished lantern since then they do not have to bother to find time from their busy schedules to decorate it," he said. This is the second time that Anura has come to sell Vesak lanterns. He has paid Rs,3450 to the Colombo Municipal Council for the spot where he has his temporary stall. "We have been here since April 23. I stay in the night here since transporting the items up and down from our place at Torrington is costly. Last year all the lanterns that were hanging in our stall swung away with the gale that blew from the North. For a small businessman like me, the loss was unbearable. I had to borrow Rs,5000 to cover the loss," he said.
Duminda further said that they did not have to face any loss last year since fortunately they did not keep the items in the stalls at night. "And even now, every night we take them home though we have to bear a fairly big amount as transportation cost," he explained. The price of a Vesak lantern frame ranges from Rs,15 to Rs,150. A creatively finished product costs Rs,500 upwards. Apart from the traditional designs like Atapattams, lotus flowers and stars, today's Vesak lanterns could be seen in different designs and different forms. However the purpose of offering the Buddha with Aloka pooja (by providing light and illumining the area) should be fulfilled by hanging a Vesak lantern.Competitions of Vesak lanterns which are being held in the Colombo city for quite a number of years have also become an attractive feature during today's Vesak celebrations. Lake House, Bauddhaloka Mawatha and Town Hall can be named as the main places that will be holding Vesak lanterns competitions this year. Lake House is organising this year's competition for the 15th time. Indradeepa Yogachandra has been taking part in many Vesak lantern competitions since 1998. He won second place at the Lake House competition and first place at Bauddhaloka Mawatha competition last year. This young Fine Arts graduate is one of those who makes novel and creative lanterns out of indigenous raw materials such as habarala leaves, navapatta, ola leaves, coconut leaves, nagadarana seeds and kokmota. "We stay at Katunayaka and we have to go to the village to get the natural raw materials. Though my father and I design the lantern, we need twenty to twenty five youth to help us since a lot of intricate work has to be done. Every year, we have to start the work three to four months ahead of Vesak. The whole cost for a lantern including the transportation comes to around Rs,50,000 - 75,000," he said. The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has also organised a huge Vesak celebration for this year at the Town Hall area including the Vihara Maha Devi Park from May 4 to 7. Nearly 120 Vesak lanterns will be on display at the competition organised by the CMC. Vesak Bhakthi Geetha programmes, school Vesak stage dramas and puppet shows which will depict Jathaka stories and 'Dharmadeshana' (Buddhist Talks) will be the other functions that will be held during the four days from 6 pm onwards. The Buddha envisaged that his disciples and lay followers should give more prominence to 'Prathipaththi pooja', the practical forms taught in his doctrine such as exercising Metta (extreme love), Karuna (extreme kindness), Muditha (rejoicing in others' achievements and happiness) and Upekkha (treating good and bad alike). Also if we compare Prathipaththi pooja to the hardwood of a tree, then the Aamisa pooja would be as the bark that protects it. So still, as a celebration, Aamisa pooja holds equal status in Sri Lanka especially during the Vesak season. |
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ten foot parapet
wall divided the two plots of lands. I have no idea whether it still
exists or the land owner has already destroyed it. The view of the 'bata'
bush came to my mind after seeing several rows of stalls that sell Vesak
lanterns along the High Level and Havelock Road in the Kirullapone area.
Colourful lights, intricate pergamano (decorative cutting and carving)
paper work, beautiful frills and the rotating modes make the Vesak
lanterns more alluring.
Duminda(16) who is still a school boy helps his father at a stall in
Kirullapone. "My father does coconut business on other days. This is
the twelfth year that we have come here to sell Vesak lanterns," he
said.
