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| Tuesday, 3 August 2004 |
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Sabaragamuwa's moment of resplendence and pride by P. D. A. S. Gunasekera, Ratnapura group corr.
With the Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devale Annual Esala Pageant 2004, - dating back to the times, when security and hospitality to the deposed King Walagamba, on the run, pursued by the usurpers to his throne, were provided by the Sabaragamuwa Sinhala-chieftain, - in the offing, the most important event, the election of the Basnayaka Nilame for the current term took place on July 23 at the District Secretariat, New Town, Ratnapura. Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara, the sitting Basnayaka Nilame (2000-2004) is back in office, unanimously elected (uncontested) by the 'electoral panel' including the administrative heads of the State in Sabaragamuwa, together with members, lay and clergy and the 'Heads of other Devales in the Province, led by the Public Trustee, acting on the 'Royal-Sannasa' of ancient Sinhala Royalty. During the last regime (term of office) Saman Devale, as the abode of God-Saman, received a new lease of life, both material and moral, in ample measure, according to records. The Basnayaka Nilame of the time had succeeded in bringing 'new-blood' into every aspect of the devale, traditions, increasing the enthusiasm and adherence to the 'devine-services', popularising the 'Devale-cult' with deep religious fervour, so much, so that Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devale, has become closely comparable to the Katharagama Maha Devale, in point of daily attendance of devotees seeking the divine benevolence and protection and the excellency a service. Basnayaka Nilame is 'the pivot' upon which, the whole traditional structure including innumerable functions, (cogs-in-the-wheel) ranging from the daily Thevavas, the periodical exposition of the relics of God-Saman, annually at Sri-Pada, the 'Kap-planting' for the annual pageant, representation of God-Saman in the 'Perahera' (procession) in full traditional costume, the management of thousands of personnel, under Nindagam lands which abound in gems of inestimable value bequeathed to the Devale by the ancient Royalty, for its upkeep, revolved. Basnayaka Nilames of the remote and the recent past, have always acquitted themselves creditably and with dignity, in the interest of justice and fairplay, (with rare exceptions, in between) adhering strictly to the code of ethics, in the ancient 'Sannasa', enforced by the Dept. of the Public Trustee. They have all rendered an appreciable service to the Devale and to the devotees, adding to the material development of the 'one' and the moral, spiritual and ethical life of the 'other' and the posterity, while at the same time reviving and protecting the ancient customs and traditions in their pristine glory and enlivening, the 'splendid pageanty-drama' the 'supreme symbol' of the 'Devale cult' along with the divine-service to the devoted public. Basnayaka Nilame taking part in the annual pageant, personified the warrior-god Saman of Mount Samanala (later in Devale), roaming in the wilderness on a white-elephants overseeing the security of the Buddha Sasana and its followers in Sabaragamuwa in particular and 'Lanka-dhipa' in general centuries ago, according to tradition. The tradition, also, has it, that the last Sinhala chieftain who had the present Devale-premises for his Palace, donated it to the warrior. Saman, who after his demise was inducted as the God-Saman, in his abode at the present Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devale, by the popular and royal-willing of recognition and Basnayaka Nilames came to be installed as the custodian of the 'Godly-institution', by Royal favour. While the 'Kandy Esala Pageant' is the greatest cultural pageant of Sri Lanka, in the whole of South East Asia, Ratnapura Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devale Annual Perahera' is the greatest cultural pageant, in Ratnapura, not second to any, in the most important aspects of the 'show-piece' 'the cynosure' of the Sabaragamuwa, led by the Basnayaka Nilame, upon whose uprightness, efficiency, devotion and dedication, depended, the future of the traditional institution for generations to come. |
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