When embers feel like petals
Sarath C. Jayawardana
Heat emanating from the bed of embers is unbearable even from afar.
Flames darting up occasionally light up the large crowd gathered to
witness the event. Attendants stir up the fire with long poles to keep
the embers alive. Frenzied devotees dance incessantly to the beating of
nathasawaram revving up to participate in the all important event. The
traditional fire-walking ceremony at the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devale
is about to begin.
Sanctuary
The ceremonial Tusker leaving the Kataragama Dewalaya carrying
the relics casket. |
People walking on burning charcoal as means of cleansing them
from sins they had committed. Pictures courtesy ANCL photo
library |
Kataragama is a sanctuary of all faiths. God of Kataragama is
popularly regarded by the Buddhists as the deified embodiment of a
righteous king called Mahasen, who ruled the regional kingdom of
Kacharagama (Kataragama) in the pre Christian era.
The main temple within the precincts is said to have been built
originally by King Dutugemunu in the second century BC fulfilling a
promise made to the God of Kataragama before engaging in battle with
King Elara. Closer to the temple is the Bodhi tree grown from a sapling
of the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura planted in the third century BC.
Kiri Vehera
Several meters to the north is the sacred dagoba, the Kiri Vehera,
built on a spot hallowed by the Buddha during one of His visits to the
island.
Hindus worship the Kataragama God as the son of Siva identifying him
by several names such as Velayuthan, Murugan, Vadi Vel, Karthikeya,
Shanmugam, Nethrasutha et al. Islamists too have their own shrine as
they consider the place sacred to them.
Among the many ceremonies held annually in different parts of the
island to honour the deities of the Buddhist and Hindu divinity, the
Esala festival held in honour of the God of Kataragama is the most
popular and well attended. It is held for fifteen days when the annual
perahera is conducted in all its pageantry with large crowds gathering
during the festival time.
The most breathtaking event is the fire walking ceremony conducted as
the terminal act of the festival.
A large heap of tamarind logs is lit up in the evening on the day
before the fire walking and kept burning till the wee hours of dawn
allowing it to burn completely into a heap of glowing embers. The embers
are then levelled into a flat bed with long poles held at the two ends
by two attendants working on either side. No unburnt wood is allowed to
remain and it is interesting to see how the watchful eyes of the
attendants spot even the smallest piece of partly burnt wood that is
immediately removed as otherwise it could be hard and painful on the
treading feet.
Gokkola
Four lamp stands of gokkola (tender coconut fronds) are erected at
the four corners of the bed.
The devotees who intend to tread the fire get ready for the arduous
task. They cleanse themselves in the Menik Ganga as a precursory act and
change into clean clothes preferably red, the colour of the God of
Kataragama. Some carry objects like tridents, spears, coconuts and oil
lamps and keep themselves warmed up dancing to the tunes of nathaswaram.
There is a short respite only when the music stops probably for the
nathaswaram players to rest their aching fingers.
A monaru dancer |
Devotees
The devotees are back on their feet when the music resumes. A
frenzied devotee holding a coconut in both hands accompanied by a
drummer beating a sonorous note and a group of followers comes to the
centre of the arena dancing frantically.
He runs to the four corners and supplicates before the four lamp
stands. He departs after several minutes doing reverence at the four
corners.
Gyrating supplicants oblivious of the surroundings work themselves up
both physically and mentally for the task ahead of them. Closer to the
main shrine is a group of female dancers performing a traditional dance
paying obeisance to the God of Kataragama.
Placed on a side is a pingo with fruits, curd and treacle in the two
pans probably as an offering to the god.
The flat bed of embers glowing in the darkness of early dawn that has
been put into its final shape is about eight metres long, two metres
wide and about twelve centimeters high.
The chief custodian (Kapu Mahattaya) of the Maha Devale (main shrine)
garbed in spotless white with a white turban and accompanied by a few
attendants walks up to the bed of embers with a tray of holy ash and a
goblet of holy water, to begin the ceremony at the auspicious hour.
Facing the Maha Devale he utters some incantations and sprinkles a
little ash on the fire followed by a sprinkling of holy water.
Fulfilling his task he returns to the devale signaling the commencement
of the holy event.
Meanwhile the devotees who are to take part in the fire walking
ceremony have all gone to the Menik Ganga for the final cleansing,
return dripping wet. The large crowd that had been waiting patiently for
several hours pushes forward so as not to miss any part of the ritual
about to begin.
The entrance to the Kataragama Dewalaya |
Bed of embers
Leading the group of devotees is another Kapu Mahattaya, garbed in
red and carrying a kavadi on his shoulders. Walking up to the edge of
the bed of embers he pays reverence to the God. Saluting the bed of
embers he steps on to the fire and walks gracefully along the full
length and proceeds direct to the Maha Devale. Not the slightest grimace
is visible on his face.
Nothing further happens till he enters the sacred precincts about
three hundred metres away.
It is now the turn of the others to display their devotion. They all
walk in single file along the bed of glowing embers.
Some walk slowly, some try to cross it in a few leaps, some walk at
brisk pace while some dance their way through. One person is seen
carrying a small child in his arms. The pingo of offerings that was
lying by the side is carried by one person. Two little children of about
twelve years of age walk the fire without any hesitation or the
slightest discomfort.
That is the strength of their faith in the Kataragama God. Sitting
close to the bed of embers let alone walking on it, is itself a trying
experience. Hundreds of devotees, young and old, male and female, walk
the fire without a single casualty. It is an amazing spectacle.The
morning star shines brightly in the cloudless sky. Eastern sky takes a
pale blue hue in the early dawn.
The embers had been doused at the conclusion of the ceremony and are
reduced to a heap of ashes. Devotees walking past take a final look at
the ashes determined to return again the next year. (As experienced
several years ago) |