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by Derrick Schokman

Mountains figure prominently in the religions of the world. Mystical Mount Meru in the Himalayas is thought to be the abode of the devas in Hindu mythology. Mount Sinai is where the Jews believed their god Jehovah appeared in a column of fire and handed the Ten Commandments to Moses. And Mount Olympus was the legendary home of the ancient Greek gods.

In Sri Lanka the holy mountain is Samantakuta, sacred to Saman Deva, its guardian deity.

The popular name for this mountain, however, is Samanala-kande, because every year around the month of April swarms of yellow butterflies (yellow is the colour sacred to Saman Deva) are seen making their way to the mountain. Samanalaya in Sinhala is a butterfly: it is simple belief that the samanalayas are on their way to pay homage to god Saman before they die. That is how the mountain came to be known as Samanala-kande.

According to Buddhist mythology the Buddha is said to have visited the Island on three occasions to prepare it for the introduction of Buddhism from India.

His first visit was to Mahiyangana. Saman Deva was among the concourse of gods and men who had gathered to listen to the Buddha's discourse. After he had finished Saman approached him and requested a personal memento that could be enshrined for general worship.

The Buddha obliged with a lock of his hair, which was duly enshrined in the Mahiyangana stupa. Saman also made a second request that the Buddha honour his mountain abode with a visit. This the Buddha did on his third visit, leaving an impression of his footprint on the summit. The holy footprint is known as Sri Pada.

Pilgrim routes

Although the mountain is associated with resident Buddhist monks from early historic times, it was not until the 12th century that it became an important focus of pilgrimage to worship the Sri Pada. That is, after King Vijayabahu I had provided resting places along the route and set apart the village of Gilimale for the use of pilgrims.

According to the Culavamsa (old chronicle) there were three pilgrim routes during King Vijayabahu's time (1055-1110). The first was through Gilimale in the Kuruvita korale of the Ratnapura district. The second was from the Rajarata through Kadilagama, the present Kehelgamuwa near Ginigathhenne. On this route Vijayabahu I had provided alms halls at regular intervals. The third route from Uva was used by pilgrims from Ruhuna.

Pilgrims from the three routes had to climb the rock along a narrow path, the final ascent being provided with chains fixed to the rock walls. Ibn Batuta, the 14th century traveller-pilgrim, remembered those chains and wrote about them when he climbed the mountain.

He also wrote about Vijayabahu's resting places on the road through Kadiligama.

King Nissanka Malla (1187-96) went on pilgrimage and left a rock inscription in the Bhagavalena cave granting all the lands around there for the upkeep of the holy peak. King Parakramabahu II (Panditha Parakrama) is also reported to have gone on pilgrimage (1236-70). During his reign the route from Gangasiripura (Gampola) was improved to Bodithale (Botale). An image of God Skanda was also installed on the summit and a shrine erected near Ratnapura - the Saman Dewale.

A larger and more magnificent shrine was constructed in the time of Parakramabahu VI (1412-1467). He also endowed the temple with lands for the maintenance of the priests and families of dancing girls who participated in temple rituals .

Pilgrims to the Holy Peak worship at the Maha Saman Dewale before they attempt the climb. The god's golden bow and arrow are said to be enshrined in that temple. Every year the Dewale has a grand festival and perahera in the month of Esala.

The climb to the summit of Samanala-kande is attempted usually in the cool of the night. In olden times coconut flares and lighted candles carried in coconut shells were used. But today the route is lit by electricity creating a ladder of light in the night sky.

This modern lightning came about on the discharge of a vow made by the Minister of Transport and Works in Ceylon's first independent government to "Lord Sumana, the great god" that he would light up the pilgrim route electrically if the god would help him to have the country's first hydro-electric scheme completed on schedule. The job was done on time in 1950.

Final ascent

The climb really begins at Sitagangula where the pilgrims take time off to bathe or wash in a babbling brook and prepare themselves for the final ascent by wearing fresh clothes.

Now that they have entered the sacred precincts of the peak, the pilgrims know that they are under the protection of Saman Deva. They sing devotional songs praising Saman and the Buddha interspersed with invocations for blessings in their next birth.

Approaching the summit the songs give way to staccato ritual shouts mostly to relieve flagging. Then at last the ledge on top 7,000 feet above the rest of Lanka.

After making their religious observances, pilgrims proceed to ring the bell in the bell tower, once for every time they have made this pilgrimage.

Shadow

Finally there is the coup-de-theatre when the shadow of the peak appears in mid-air almost on level with the pilgrims on the summit. The North-Easterly winds that blow during the pilgrim season from Unduwap-poya in December to Vesak-poya in May, produce a misty layer of clouds below the summit.

As the sun lifts itself over Horton Plains and the peaks of Kirigalpota and Totapola about 30 miles away, a large equilateral triangle of transparent shadow unrolls on the clouds, slowly lessening and blackening as the sun rises higher, until in the space of about 30 minutes it finally vanishes beneath the peak.

Pilgrims refer to this phenomenon as the 'ira sevaya' or worship of the Buddha by the sun god Suriya.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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