‘Dansal’: Uniquely Vesak

by Kalakeerthi Dr. Edwin Ariyadasa

“On the following morning, King Dutugemunu, placed at the four gates of the city, many barbers and servants for the bath and for cutting the hair, clothes likewise and fragrant flowers and sweet foods for his people’s good.” Mahawansa – Chapter 29

The Vesak season brings in its slip-stream, an enthralling spiritual joy. Decorations-pandals occupying central stage-punctuate the celebrations. At night, illuminations and lanterns brighten the Vesak landscape. Some of these massive in size and intriguing in concept, attract milling thongs of devotees and pilgrims. Mobile groups, chanting Devotional songs, sweeten the Vesak air, with their alluring and cadenced rhythms.

But, among this vast host of items, that spell Vesak glee, there is a unique feature, which, to my mind, remains largely unsung and inadequately chronicled and if celebrated at all peripherally only.

This phenomenon bears the sinhala title ‘Dansala’. I am hard to identify an English expression,that satisfactorily conveys its exact significance. We can settle for the expression ‘open house’, as the closest equivalent of ‘Dansala’. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines ‘open house’ this way: “a place oratime at which visitors are always welcome.”

Sinhala 'Dansala', can be quite effectively accommodated within that Dictionary definition.

In effect 'Dansala' are centres that offer food and drink, to visitors, free.

Anna dana’

During the days of Vesak, these Dansala erupt all over the island, in a bewildering variety of modes. Their extensive range of manifestations, forms a spell-binding story. Before, entering into that area, we should cast a passing glance at their origin and evolution.

Charity, giving of alms, gifting food and drink are associated with almost all religious systems. Hindus practice ‘Anna dana’ (food donations”). Jains are required by religion to give knowledge, money etc., every day. There are Islamic religious practices, in which the distribution of food and drink, is imperative. Christians and Catholics, have their own feasts, as an intrinsic segment of their religious discipline.

But, the Sri Lankan phenomenon of ‘Dansala’ (Open House), occupies a special niche, due to its profusion, its variegated aspects, the enthusiasm and the fervour it engenders – and, above all, due to its innovative manifestations – year after year.

In the far past, in the days of the Buddha, some city-leaders provided meals to those citizens, who were socially marginalised. In ancient Sri Lanka, this institution of providing food and drink free emerged due to some realities of that day. Those pilgrims of yore, had to go on their holy Tours, either on foot, or in carts drawn by oxen. On the way-side, there was not even the minutes trace of hotels, Restaurants or Eateries, in that day.

But, an occasional philanthropist would give such pilgrims a free meal – as a gesture of religious charity. At sacred sites like, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa etc., when pilgrims converged in vast numbers, during holy seasons, affluent people fed them. This kind of meal was functionally essential, as there was no source, from which these pilgrims could obtain some free food. These functional Dansala flourished until about mid 20th Century.

From then on the ‘ornamental’ 'Dansala', proliferated.Enthusiastic groups, in their spiritual fervour and social ardour, began holding “open-house”, (Dansala) all along waysides and even adjacent to minor paths.

Profusion

Dansalas sprang up with such profusion, that at times, there were no visitors to be entertained.The quality of food, the styles of presentation – all underwent a vast change. In the earlier days, rice and a few modest curries were the standard menu.

Now-a-days, at Vesak, there are places that serve biriyani. One during Vesak, I was conducted to a Dansala, organised by officers of the Armed Forces. The presentation was in elegant buffet style. If I remember right, there was a liveried staff, waiting on the guests. Some Dansalas serve 'Kottu' “fried-rice” and other forms of food-items, rich with condiments.

Some offer soups. There are those that provide tea, coriander tea, herbal teas, ice-cream and even 'watalappam'. I know, that, my list has not at all exhausted the wide range of offerings at these current 'Dansalas'.But, could you please consider other 'exotics'. There are open houses ready to offer you boiled 'jak', boiled bread-fruit, boiled manioc and boiled sweet-potatoes.

There are intriguing episodes linked to 'Dansalas'. A friend of mine was travelling in his motor-car on Vesak day.

An enthusiastic open-house keeper stopped the vehicle. Their speciality was boiled “jak” fruit. The devotee who stopped the car said “we have run out of the supply of boiled 'jak'. Do you mind, if we loaded a couple of jak fruits into your car?” My friend obligingly, did not mind.

Dansal hopping

How, the organisers cajole, entreat and persuade you to stop your vehicle and request you to partake of the food on offer, is interesting in the extreme. They wave flags (the Buddhist Flag and the National Flag, mostly), signalling the vehicles to stop. Today, those who travel about, during the Vesak season do not have any significant functional urge to have a meal at a wayside dansala. But, many yield to the emotional entreated of the organisers and partake of the meal. For some, ‘Dansal hopping’ is very much part of the Vesak Joy. Back then, as undergrads, we derived a strange thrill, stepping into Dansalas – though not driven by a keen need for food.In today's context, the 'Dansala' is a social phenomenon, we have not adequately probed.

What propels those, thousands of organisers to take all that trouble to get the 'Dansalas' going? Why do these organisers strive to come up with new concepts?Last year, a group, driven by the need to have a novel-kind of 'Dansala', came up with the idea that they should give “free air”, they would stop, cycles, motor-bikes, cars, vans etc., and would inflate their tyres free. This open-house had been promptly dubbed, “Hulan Dansala”. (free-air open-house).

For all we know, some open-house keepers, may borrow a page from King Dutugemunu. They could very well have 'dansalas', where visitors would be given free shares and hair-cuts.King Dutugemunu, gave his people free bath, free clothes, and free flowers, over and above free food and drinks. The services of the barbers were also free.

Why have we neglected the study of this phenomenon, which is eminently interesting and 'delicious?'.

Any new ideas for open houses?

While on this fascinating Vesak phenomenon, we could consider the effort of a global philanthropist. Magnus Mac Farlane – Barrow of Scotland, feeds one million schoolchildren across 12 countries – everyday, through his organisation 'Mary's Meals'. He is one of the 100 most influential people, selected by “Time” magazine this week. This initiative qualifies to be dubbed ‘ global Dansala’.