|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Tuesday, 16 March 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Festivals for rain by Andrew Scott Right now the entire country is experiencing a severe drought and man, beast and plant are finding it almost impossible to live without a sufficient supply of water even for their basic needs. In this connection, it is quite interesting to recall some festivals held in Sri Lanka from the ancient times to this day to cause rain during times of severe drought. From time immemorial, man has invoked the blessings of the Gods to cause rain during times of drought and the ancients considered a drought as noting but a sign of the wrath of Gods and in order to appease the Gods they performed various rituals which later turned out to be festivals of great sanctity. According to the Mahawamsa some of these festivals in ancient Lanka had gone into decadence and had been later revived during the region of King Dhatusena. The Chulavamsa too records: "Since the planting of the sacred Bo tree, the kings of Lanka had proclaimed water festivals every 12th year of their reigns". During ravaging droughts rain-making ceremonies are still held with solemn ritual specially in the remote villages of the North Central, Kandyan and Uva provinces. These traditional ceremonies are usually carried out by the villagers who strongly believe that such ceremonies will appease the Gods who have the power to cause rain to come down from the sky-roof. One of the commonest of rain-making ceremonies in Sri Lanka is the open air alms-giving to God Kataragama. This is a communal offering made by about ten farmers who cook the food in the threshing floor itself. Women are prevented from taking part in this ceremony and it continues till dawn. Experienced people vouch that no sooner the alms-giving finishes the drought ends with torrential rain. In some villages Peraheras are held in honour of the Buddha or God Kataragama. These processions are led by monks in the village temples and the Kapuralas (lay custodians) in the neighbouring devalues and Kovils. Tradition has it that these Peraheras are highly efficacious in bringing much needed rain. The water-cutting ceremony at the conclusion of the Kandy Esala Perahera too, is popularly considered to be an old ritual for rain-making. In India too, similar water-cutting ceremonies, specially the festival of "Indra Kreeda" are considered to be ancient rituals to invoke the blessings of the Gods to bring down rain during severe droughts. To this day the people of Anuradhapura appease the Gods during times of drought by performing a solemn ceremony at the Sri Maha Bodhi. In this ceremony people collect water from Tisa Wewa and go in solemn procession and bathe the sacred Bo tree while monks chant Seth Pirith. This is called the 'Diya Perahera' or the 'Bodhi Snana Pooja' and its origin dates back to king Devanampiyatissa. The Chulavamsa records two important occasions when rain-making ceremonies were held in ancient Lanka during ravaging droughts. According to this chronicle, the first took place during the reign of Upatissa I who himself ordered and participated in the ceremony. According to the same chronicle, a similar festival was held nearly 900 years later during the reign of Parakrama Bahu II. It says: "Then through the influence of evil planets a great heat arose in Lanka by which everything was burnt up. When the corn withered and a famine was inevitable and the whole of the people were filled with great anxiety the king ordered a splendid festivals in Dambadeniya...... The great community of Bhikkus recited Pirith and carried the Tooth Relic of the great Sage round the town in a fitting manner with the firm resolve 'The heavens shall rain...... and it began to rain, destroying the glowing heat, driving away famine, beautifying the country and reviving the corn". In some villages Seth Kavi is recited for a specific number of nights by devotees in temple precincts and this is usually followed by praying for rain. The Rajavali mentions that the exhibition of the scared Tooth Relic too ends any form of continued drought and this has been remarked upon by numerous observers. In addition to these solemn festivals many games were organized in ancient Lanka to appease the Gods and to invoke their blessings to get rain in times of severe droughts. Of these, the chief game was Pora Pol Gehima, an interesting and exciting sport in which the supporters and the spectators betted heavily. This game was believed to appease the Gods and to bring rain during times of drought. Another popular game which was organized to appease the Gods to bring rain during times of drought was un-keliya or hook-tugging. Similar festivals for making rain during times of drought are also known to have existed in Greece, Alexandria, Bulgaria, Rumania and neighbouring India. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
