HOLIDAYS IN SRI LANKA

There are 28 public holidays a year in Sri Lanka, more than of any country in the world except Cambodia which also has 28. That means that workers get an extra day off every other week. The exact days of Sri Lanka's festivals change from year to year as many of them depend on lunar or solar phases. The exact dates of the Kandy Esala Perahera and of other festivals are announced only during the first quarter of the year.

The full moon day (Poya Day) of each month is of special religious significance.Poya days are generally regarded as solemn occasions and people are expected not to show the are enjoying themselves. Different episodes of the Buddha’s life are celebrated on these days. The most important of these full moon days—Vesak (Wesak), Duruthu, Navam, Poson and Esala — which are celebrated with colorful traditional rituals, ceremonies and sometimes with glittery pageantry. No alcohol is sold on Poya days.

Sri Lanka has so many holidays and festivals that many people miss a lot of work and tourists find offices and banks are closed when they reall need them. Big celebrations are held during life cycle events such as birth, first solid food, adolescence and marriage (See Children and Marriage). Halloween has madeinroads into Sri Lanka. A radio station has featured a contest for the weirdest Halloween recipes and the scariest screams.

According to the “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”: “Almost all public holidays are religious observances, eight of them non-Buddhist. Their official observance is testimony to the fact that Sri Lanka is a truly multireligious country. Because of the large number of holidays, it is impossible to live in Sri Lanka without becoming aware of the profoundly variegated religious roots and publicly recognized religious sentiments in Sri Lankan society — religion saturates Sri Lankan social life. Nevertheless, it is also surprising to learn how many Sri Lankans are almost totally ignorant about the basic beliefs and rites of traditions other than their own. In part this is a function of how religion is taught in public schools: Buddhists learn from Buddhists, Christians from Christians, Hindus from Hindus. Therefore, there is never a discussion of other religions, nor is there any type of developed discourse for talking about religion generically. [Source: “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”, Thomson Gale, 2006]

Major Holidays in Sri Lanka

The biggest holidays are Buddhist and Tamil New Year in April, Vesak in May, the anniversaries of the birth, death, and enlightenment of the Buddha, the annual procession (Perahera ) of the Tooth Relic at Kandy in August, and the Kataragama fire-walking pilgrimage in August. [Source: Bryan Pfaffenberger”Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Volume 3: South Asia,” edited by Paul Paul Hockings, 1992 |~|]

During the Esala Perahera, a two-week festival in the city of Kandy, the Tooth Relic of the Buddha is paraded through the streets on the back of an elephant. Thousands gather to see the relic and its accompanying procession of decorated elephants, temple officials, schoolchildren, dancers, and acrobats. [Source: D. O. Lodric, “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life”, Cengage Learning, 2009 *]

According to the “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”: “In addition to the Buddhist Poya Days, national patriotic days, and New Year's observances, the following religious holidays are also publicly observed: Thai-pongal in January; Mahasivaratri in February–March; Dipavali in October–November for Hindus; the Hajj, Ramadan, and Muhammad's birthday according to the shifting lunar calendar for Muslims; and Good Friday in March–April and Christmas in December for Christians. [Source: “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”, Thomson Gale, 2006]

January 1st — New Years Day
January 14 — Tamil Thai Pongal Day
February 4th — National Day
February and March — Maha Shivarathri Day
March or April — Good Friday and Easter
April — Sinhala and Tamil New Year
May 1st — May Day
Usually in May — Vesak (Wesak) Full Moon celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of The Buddha
May 22nd — National Heros Day
June — Poson Full Moon commemorates the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C.
June 30th — Bank Holiday.
October — Dival (Deepavali), the Hindu festival of lights,
December 25th — Christmas Day
December — Sangamitta Day (Unduvap Full Moon)
December 31st — Bank Holiday.
Movable — Id al-Adha (Hadji Festival)
Movable — Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting.
Movable — Id-Ul-Fitr is a festival that celebrates the ending of Ramazan,
Movable — Mawlid an Nabi, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday
The Poya Day (Full Moon Day) of each month is also considered a holiday.

Secular Celebrations in Sri Lanka

All Saturdays and Sundays — as was the Poya Day marking the full moon of each month — are public holidays. National Day in February and May Day are also public holidays. During April, Sri Lanka largely shuts down for a week during Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the exact day of which is determined by astrologers. Major Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian holidays are also as public holidays. [Source: Bambi L. Chapin and Kalinga Tudor Silva, “Countries and Their Cultures”, The Gale Group Inc., 2001]

February 4t h—National Day commemorates the granting of independence to Sri Lanka by the British on February 4th, 1948. It is a great patriotic and national occasion celebrated with colorful parades and pageants depicting the nation's culture and achievements. It is also known as Independence Day.

May 22nd — National Heros Day honor soldiers that died in conflict with the Tamil Tigers.

Other secular holidays

January 1st — New Years Day.
May 1st — May Day, the international worker's day, is celebrated with colorful parades and rallies organized by leading trade unions.
June 30th — Bank Holiday.
December 31st — Bank Holiday.

Main Buddhist Celebrations

Usually in May — Vesak (Wesak) Full Moon celebrates the birth, enlightenment and parinibbana (final spiritual attainment at death) of The Buddha. Colorful lanterns are displayed at the homes, shops and businesses of Buddhists. Young women dressed in white sing bhakti gee (devotional songs) in parks or the backs of trucks. Popular pictorial displays (pandals) of Jatakas (stories of the Buddha’s life are erected with spectacularly-lighted Buddha images in many towns and cities. [Source: “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”, Thomson Gale, 2006]

June — Poson Full Moon commemorates the introduction of Buddhism by Mahinda to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C. There are major celebrations in Anuradhapura and nearby Mahintale, where Ashoka's son, Mahinda is said to have first preached the Buddha's dharma in Lanka. Usually more than a million people show up for the events.

Kathina, held at the end of the rain retreat season, is when monks are given new robes for the year. It is an important merit-making occasion for non-monk Buddhists Sangamitta Day (Unduvap Full Moon) in December marks the historic event of bringing to Sri Lanka of the right branch of the sacred Bodhi Tree under which Guatama Buddha attained enlightenment in India.

Hindu Celebrations

January 14 — Tamil Thai Pongal Day is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival observed particularly by Tamils of South India, Sri Lanka and elsewhere around the world. It begins at the start of the month Tai according to Tamil solar calendar, which is usually on or around January 14. The festival is dedicated to the Hindu sun god, Surya, and corresponds to harvest festivals held under many regional names in India. Pongal marks the sun's entrance into constellation Capricorn. Families boil rice with sugar and turmeric (the mixture is known as pongal) in homes and temple until it spills out of the pot (the greater the spillage the better) and eat it communally.

February and March — Maha Shivarathri Day is a colorful Hindu festival that celebrates the marriage of Shiva.

October — Dival (Deepavali), the Hindu festival of lights, is celebrated throughout the country by Hindus as well as Buddhists, Muslims and Christians. Hindu homes are lit up at night, new clothes are worn, homes are spring-cleaned and all Hindus purify themselves with an oil bath. Lights are hung to welcome the Hindu god Lakshima.

Muslim Holidays in Sri Lanka

Movable — Id al-Adha (Hadji Festival)
Movable — Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting.
Movable — Id-Ul-Fitr is a festival that celebrates the ending of Ramazan,
Movable — Mawlid an Nabi, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday

Eid-al-Adha is also called the Hajj festival, Feast of the sacrifice, the Greater Eid and Eid e Qurban. It is the second biggest holiday on the Muslim calendar and is celebrated by Muslims all over the world. It coincides with the end of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. During Eid-al Adha in Sri Lanka,

Eid-al-Adha honors the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael to God. It traditionally has done this with the sacrifice of a sheep or cow, but this kind of thing is frowned up by Buddhists and Hindus in Sri Lanka During Eid-al-Adha Muslims pray and visit the Mosque to listen to a sermon. Family members dress up in new clothes and visit relatives and friends. Giving money to poorer families in the community is also considered a good deed, enabling them to join in the celebrations.

Christian Holidays in Sri Lanka and the World’s Tallest Christmas Tree

March or April — Good Friday and Easter. Both Easter and Sinhalese and Tamil New Year, the biggest holiday for Buddhist Sinhalese and Hindu Tamils, fall during the same season of the year. In some years New year falls during or before the Holy Week, where Christians commemorate the Passion of Christ, in a penitential atmosphere. In that event Christians join New Year celebrations after the Holy Week. Some Christians want to combine Easter and New Year and celebrate them together. A request by the Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka to change the dates of Easter and Holy Week in Sri Lanka when it falls during Sinhalese and Tamil was rejected by the Holy See in Vatican.

December 25th—Christmas Day is celebrated by the Christian community in Sri Lanka on this day. It is also celebrated by Sinhalese and Tamils.W. T. A. Leslie Fernando wrote in The Island: The Catholics wherever they are, generally come to their native place for the Holy Week. They do so for Christmas as well. But at Christmas after the mid-night Mass, they spend the time on enjoyment and merry-making. At Easter however more emphasis is placed on religious observances. [Source: W. T. A. Leslie Fernando, The Island, Virtual Library Sri Lanka lankalibrary.com ]

Other religious days observed by Catholics in Sri Lanka include Ascension, Assumption and Immaculate Conception of Our Lady. Florence Wickramage wrote in the Weekend Express: “While coinciding with the Esala moon, and held during this festive season are several Christian (Catholic) festival. Among them the most popular are the Feasts of Madhu and the Feast at St.Anne's shrine at Talawila. In keeping with the festive season, people from all walks of life, together will devotees flock to these shrines to pay homage to Our Blessed Mother and Saint Anne. [Source: Florence Wickramage, Weekend Express, July 24-25. 1999]

In 2016, Sri Lanka said it had set a world record for tallest artificial Christmas tree. Associated Press reported: “Sri Lanka unveiled a towering Christmas tree, claiming to have surpassed the world record despite constructions delays and a shorter-than-planned finished product. The 73-meter (238-foot) artificial tree in capital Colombo is 18 meters (59 feet) taller than the current record holder, organizers said. The tree's steel-and-wire frame is covered with a plastic net decorated with more than 1 million natural pine cones painted red, gold, green and silver, 600,000 LED bulbs and topped by a 6-meter (20-foot)-tall shining star. The tree costs $80,000 and was criticized by the Catholic Church as a "waste of money." The church suggested that the funds better be spent on helping the poor. [Source: Associated Press, December 25, 2016]

“Hundreds of port workers and volunteers struggled for four months to put up the tree in time for the holidays. Work was suspended for six days in early December after Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith — representing the island nation's 1.5 million Catholics — lambasted the project. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe responded to the criticism by saying the tree was not being built with public money, but with donations from individuals and private firms. The Guinness World Records is yet to confirm if this is the tallest artificial Christmas tree. Currently, the record is held by a Chinese firm that put up a 55-meter (180-foot) tree-like tower of lights and synthetic foliage, ornaments and lamps in the city of Guangzhou in 2015

“Sri Lankan organizers said they wanted the tree to help promote ethnic and religious harmony in the Buddhist-majority island nation, where a long civil war ended in 2009 but reconciliation remains a challenge. “This is just to show the world that we can live as one country, one nation," said Arjuna Ranatunga, a former cricket player and the minister of ports and shipping. He said Sri Lanka still is still grappling with issues regarding religion, caste and race. Minority Christian and Muslim communities complain of state-sponsored discrimination, and there are allegations of widespread abuses against minority ethnic Tamils both during and after the war.

Poya Days

Officially there are four poya days each month, with each equating to a phase of the moon. Sri Lanka Buddhist ideally visit their local pansala (temple) during all four days. The full-moon day is most important and treated almost like a sabbath — a day for the for the faithful to relax away from work and contemplate their faith. Full-moon poya days are public holidays. [Source: Holy Mountain Trading Company, San Francisco CA, 2016]

Poya Full Moon Days (Month — Poya Name — Full Moon Poya in 2020)
January — Duruthu Poya — 10th
February — Navam Poya — 8th
March — Medin Poya — 9th
April — Bak Poya — 7th
May — Vesak Poya — 7th
June — Poson Poya — 5th
July — Esala Poya — 4th
August — Nikini Poya — 3th
September — Binara Poya — 1th
October — Adhi Vap Poya — 1th
October — Vap Poya — 30th
November — Ill Poya — 29th
December — Unduvap Poya — 29th

See Separate Article FESTIVALS IN SRI LANKA

Major Holidays on Poya Days

The most popular poya celebration, the Esala Perahera, is held in July–August in the old royal capital of Kandy when the Dalada of the Buddha and the insignia of the national guardian deities (Natha, Vishnu, Pattini, and Kataragama) are taken out from the sanctum sanctorum of their respective shrines and placed on sacred elephants and paraded through the streets of Kandy for a period of 10 nights. During the same time at the southern shrine of Kataragama, thousands of pilgrims perform extreme and painful-looking forms of body-piercing asceticism to express their devotion to the deity Kataragama. [Source: “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”, Thomson Gale, 2006]

A.G.S. Kariyawasam wrote in “Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka”:“The first and the foremost of the poya holy days is the full-moon day of Vesak (May), commemorating the birth, Enlightenment, and passing away of the Buddha. The significance of Vesak is further heightened for the Sinhala Buddhists, as Sri Lankan tradition holds that it was on the Vesak Poya Day, in the eighth year after his Enlightenment, that the Buddha paid his third visit to Sri Lanka, journeying to Kelaniya on the invitation of the Naga King Maniakkhika (Mhv. i,72ff.). Consequently, Kelaniya has become a very popular place of worship and pilgrimage, the center of worship there being the celebrated dagoba, enshrining the gem-set throne offered to the Buddha by the Nagas (dragons). An annual procession is held there to commemorate the event. [Source: A.G.S. Kariyawasam, “Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka”, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, 1995]

“Both in importance and in temporal sequence, the next significant poya is the full-moon of Poson (June), which is specially noteworthy to the Sri Lankan Buddhists as the day on which Emperor Ashoka's son, the arahant Mahinda, officially introduced Buddhism to the island in the 3rd century B.C. Accordingly, in addition to the normal ritualistic observances undertaken on a poya day, on Poson day devotees flock to Anuradhapura, the ancient capital city of the country, for it was there that arahant Mahinda converted the then ruler, King Devanampiya Tissa, and his court to Buddhism, thereby setting in motion a series of events that finally made Sri Lanka the home of Theravada Buddhism. Even today, on Poson Poya, Anuradhapura becomes the center of Buddhist activity. Mihintale, the spot where the momentous encounter between the Elder and the King took place, accordingly receives the reverential attention of the devotees. The two rituals of pilgrimage and the observance of the Eight Precepts are combined here. Processions commemorative of the event, referred to as Mihundu Peraheras, are held in various parts of the country.

“The next poya is Esala (July), which commemorates several significant events in the history of Buddhism. The most prominent of these is the Buddha's preaching of his First Sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, to the five ascetics at the Deer Park, near Benares, thereby inaugurating his public ministry. The other noteworthy events connected with this day include the conception of the Bodhisatta in the womb of Queen Maya, his Great Renunciation, the performance of the Twin Miracle (yamaka-patihariya), and his preaching the Abhidhamma for the first time in the Tavatimsa heaven. An additional factor that enhances the value of this poya to Sri Lanka is the first local ordination of a Sri Lankan, when Prince Arittha, the nephew of the king, entered the Order at Anuradhapura, under arahant Mahinda, following the introduction of Buddhism. On this day there also took place the laying of the foundation for the celebrated dagoba, the Mahathupa or the Ruwanvelisaya and also its enshrinement of relics by King Dutugemunu. It is owing to the combination of all these events that the Sinhala Buddhists fittingly observe the day ceremonially by holding Esala festivals throughout the island, giving pride of place to the internationally famous Kandy Esala Perahera.”

Sinhala and Tamil New Year

Sinhala and Tamil New Year is celebrated across Sri Lanka in April by the island’s two main ethnic groups. Originally a harvest festival, this event marks the passage of the sun from the constellation Pisces to Aries. The holiday is celebrated with traditional rituals, merrymaking, feasting and fun and games. Sinhala New Year is the Buddhist New Year. Tamil New Year is the Hindu New Year. They are both celebrated at the same time.

New Year — known as Aluth Avurudhu in Sinhala and Puththandu in Tamil — coincides with end of the harvest season and the run up to the monsoon season. It is a time when everything it seems has a special auspicious meaning or has to be done in a prescribed way. People are anointed in oil, cook and eat “kiri bath” (milk rice) and conduct their first business of the year. There are special clothes that are worn and proscribed directions that are faced when doing certain activities to maximize good fortune.

The New Year holiday season lasts for about a week. Many shops are closed and the public transport system is packed as people return to their home villages. When the family is all gathered together the house is thoroughly cleaned and a ritual “raban” drum is pounded. The first official act of the new year is the lighting of the hearth which is used to make the kiri bath. Other foods associated with the holiday include plantains, “kokis” (a Dutch sweetmeat) and “kaung” (an oily cake). Gifts are exchanged, often new clothes are put on after they are received.

Because the new year coincides with the time when the harvest ends, colorful fruit from the trees is collected in bulk to fuel the week-long celebrations. Festivities are prepared well in advance and most of the country grinds to a halt as hundreds travel home to be with their families and stores close down in their wake — it can be impossible to track down the simplest of things just before it all starts. Wealthy Sri Lankans make it an excuse to come home from wherever they are to make it a long holiday season. Those who can't handle the heat of the pre-monsoon season in the south escape to the cooler hills and indulge in the expensive pastimes of the elite — such as polo, golf, tennis and motor racing.

See Separate Article SINHALA AND TAMIL NEW YEAR: CUSTOMS, HISTORY, FOODS, GAMES AND TRADITIONS

Vesak

Usually in May, Vesak (Wesak) Full Moon celebrates the birth, enlightenment and parinibbana (final spiritual attainment at death) of The Buddha. Colorful lanterns are displayed at the homes, shops and businesses of Buddhists. Young women dressed in white sing bhakti gee (devotional songs) in parks or the backs of trucks. Popular pictorial displays (pandals) of Jatakas (stories of the Buddha’s life) are erected with spectacularly-lighted Buddha images in many towns and cities. [Source: “Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices”, Thomson Gale, 2006]

The Buddhist calendar begins with the month of Vesak. Vesak Day is the first and in the eyes of many the most important of the poya holy days. On Vesak Day, Buddhists world over commemorate the “thrice blessed day” — the triple anniversary of Sakyamuni Siddhartha Gautama The Buddha. It is believed to be that The Buddha was born, attained Supreme Enlightenment at the age of thirty five, and after a successful ministry of forty five years attained Parinirvana or passed away on a Vesak (May) full moon Poya Day. It is said that on a Vesak full moon Poya Day, in the eighth year of his enlightenment, that The Buddha made his third and final visit to Sri Lanka. [Source: Holy Mountain Trading Company, San Francisco CA, 2016]

Buddhists commemorate the important events that took place in the life of Lord Buddha on Vesak. First comes the birth of Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini in Nepal which took place under the arbor of Sal trees where queen Mahamaya gave birth to him. The second event was Siddharta Gautam's supreme attainment as the Buddha, the Enlightened One. The third event was Lord Buddha's Parinibbana over 2500 years ago at Kusinagar. . Many viharas (monasteries) are filled with Atasil devotees and pilgrims from all over Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has its own unique interpretation of Vesak — mingling devotion and alms-giving with spectacular displays of light. A.G.S. Kariyawasam wrote in “Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka”: “ The significance of Vesak is further heightened for the Sinhala Buddhists, as Sri Lankan tradition holds that it was on the Vesak Poya Day, in the eighth year after his Enlightenment, that the Buddha paid his third visit to Sri Lanka, journeying to Kelaniya on the invitation of the Naga King Maniakkhika (Mhv. i,72ff.). Consequently, Kelaniya has become a very popular place of worship and pilgrimage, the center of worship there being the celebrated dagoba, enshrining the gem-set throne offered to the Buddha by the Nagas (dragons). An annual procession is held there to commemorate the event. [Source: A.G.S. Kariyawasam, “Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka”, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, 1995]

Vesak Festivities

Vesak is day of sacred ceremonies and charity. Temples bells wake up the faithful at dawn. Pilgrims dressed in white spend the day mediating and listening to chanting monks. Wayside stalls distribute food and refreshments to pilgrims. There are festivities with colorful decorations, pandals, puppet shows, open-air dramas and pageants. Many temples hold night time procession with illuminated lanterns.

Thousands of terracotta oil lamps flicker with golden light, like broken fragments of the full moon gleaming overhead. The faint fragrance of burning coconut oil mingles with the elusive perfumes of a tropical night. And the soft chants of worshippers, dressed in white to denote purity, give the scene a surreal beauty as Sri Lanka’s Buddhists celebrate the holiest day of the year, Vesak. [Source: Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau srilanka.travel ]

During Vesak, free food is offered to all-comers of all religious denominations. Communities countrywide gather contributions from local residents, regardless of religion, with Christians, Hindus and Muslims all happily contributing. Each community group — whether market-sellers, a temple or suburb — selects a leader to supervise the collection and distribution of alms during the Vesak period. Temporary stalls or dhanselas where food and drink are given out operate well into the early hours of the morning. With the spirit of generosity so typical of this festival, even foreign visitors who happen to pass by the dhanselas are urged to eat and drink.

At least some of Vesak is supposed to be spent in reflective prayer. In temples Buddhists worship, offer flowers, light lamps and burn incense. These traditional observances, in essence, have their value in satisfying the religious and emotional needs of the people. Devoted Buddhists pray in temples from dawn until dusk, then take part in processions as the sun sets, visiting the temples again in the evening to hear monks read stories from the Buddhist texts. The Dana (monks) play an important role on this holy day. Every devotee gives alms. This is a sign of sharing with joy and peace with people. The Vesak Pandal depicting various Jathaka stories with illuminated paintings are erected all over Sri Lanka. [Source: Virtual Library Sri Lanka lankalibrary.com ]

Incredible illuminated displays decorate the streets. There are mime and street theater performances, staged on tall platforms throughout the cities and towns near the temples. Vesak devotional songs (Bakthi Gee), sil campaigns, Bodhi Poojas, Dansalas, Pandals, lanterns, greeting cards and stamps are all part of Vesak. There is a long-standing tradition in Sri Lanka of sending greeting cards on Vesak. People share their happiness with relatives and friends by exchanging Vest cards. There are also exhibitions of paintings and competition for best Vest lanterns, with winners are awarded valuable prizes.

Vesak Pandal (Thorana)

Pandals — pictorial displays of Jatakas (stories of the Buddha’s life) are erected with spectacularly-lighted Buddha images in many towns and cities. Often thousands of tiny lights are used to illuminate the Buddhas and the pandals A pandal, or thorana, is considered a work of art and display a broad range scale of artistic talent. day. The success of a thorana lies in its structure, story, color, lighting techniques and paintings and blending them all together. [Source: Naomi Gunasekara, Sunday Leader, Virtual Library Sri Lanka lankalibrary.com ]

Naomi Gunasekara wrote in the Sunday Leader: A thorana depicts Lord Buddha's life, or his past lives as it appears in the Pansiya Panas Jathakaya, through pictures. And the bulbs symbolise the light that Lord Buddha brings to our lives. This was used as an eye-opener in the past and indeed it played a vital role in enlightening the illiterate. Even today pandals are associated with Vesak, but the fact whether the original concept bears fruit in today's context remains somewhat dubious.

The story, structure and lighting techniques of this thorana change every year, according to Wijesena. "Never have the artists repeated the story. I've worked with this group for the past 10 years and know what effort goes into making it." "The thorana resembles the Sri Pada and I have shown the four rivers — Mahaweli, Kelani, Kalu and Walawe — that start from there. The original story spoke of four rivers and instinctively I chose Sri Pada," explained Pushpananda.

“The story has been adapted for the Sri Lankan audience. Yet it does not seem far fetched or unappealing. The artist had chosen 14 different stories. And the theme for this year's Nawaloka (Peliyagoda) thorana dwells on the stories of the SamBuddha Deshanava.

A thorana is a symbol of unity and hard work. From the time the sponsor decides on the sketch until its trial run is held, a number of people contribute in many ways. Once the sketch is chosen, according to Wijesena, the artist prepares it on hard board and sends the pieces that should contain lights to the electrician. Next the rough body of the thorana is constructed. It is only after that all the pieces are assembled together and fixed on the thorana.

Making a Vesak Pandal

Sometimes it takes a crew of about 50 people — artists, painters, electricians and workers — are needed to create a pandal — the final piece of art that we see on a Vesak Naomi Gunasekara wrote in the Sunday Leader: day. And to do this to perfection it requires skill, dedication and a love for art. "Artists do not make a profit. And I do not paint thoran for money," says Pushpananda Denipitiya who has been painting pandals for the past 22 years. [Source: Naomi Gunasekara, Sunday Leader, Virtual Library Sri Lanka lankalibrary.com ]

A tall, humble, artistic man, Pushpananda derives a lot of self-satisfaction from his work. He was about the first to experiment in this sphere. In a sense, he was a revolutionist. He refrained from using geometrical shapes in his pandals and gave Sri Lankan pandals a new look with the introduction of shapes of birds, trees and anything that he could dream of — except geometry.

"I do the Nawaloka, Borella and Thotalanga pandals. It takes about four months for me to finish all three of them," started Pushpananda when I met him at Peliyagoda on Wednesday, May 26. He constantly stopped to direct his men, and to see if the electricians needed him.

The entire crew was busy adding the final touches to the pandal. The electrician continued to instruct his employees and a chunk of white bulbs were positioned on either side of the Buddha rupa at the center.

Pushpananda plays with a number of colors — especially shades of yellow and orange. On either side of the main Buddha rupa one finds the sun and the moon. The sun has been used because of the belief that it rises from Sri Pada. The moon according to Pushpananda, was used for balancing the picture. He has designed the Nawaloka thorana for the past 10 years and knows what people need to see.

His intentions are aptly recognised by the electrician, A.B. Ariyadasa, who uses hundreds of white bulbs to illustrate the rivers. It seems that he subconsciously knows what the artist is aiming at, for it is the electrician who decides where to use the bulbs and which colors to use. A shy, modest man, Ariyadasa does not like publicity. But his assistant is eager to relate the story behind the thorana. "This is single-handedly funded by Nawaloka Chairman, H. A. Dharmadasa. He has done this for 40 years and this is the 41st year," started an enthusiastic Wijesena. "During floods and other troubles the thorana was not made. In such cases, although the pictures were drawn the money allocated for the thorana was donated for those who needed assistance." The entire crew is forced to work under any circumstances. They constantly fear that something would go wrong. "It's at the trial run that we learn whether it's ready for display. If the lights do not work then we won't have a thorana for Vesak," he says.

A pandal costs about 10 lakhs and according to Wijesena the crew have to pay attention to this factor too. "This year we are using 26,000 bulbs and a bulb costs Rs.27. We can make the pandal more attractive with more lights but we have to be economical." "Meka hadhanda patan gaththahama nindha yanneth nae, " says D. D. Algama who has been in charge of this project for the past 11 years. For most of them the thorana is a headache during its construction period. But once it is completed they feel contented that they contributed to it.

"I bring my wife and children to show what I did and it feels great," says Wijesena who feels content once the work is completed. But he said people do not know how much they suffer for over two months. "Dhavas hatha atakata es pinavanda api masa ganak thisse parripu kava," he said. Vesak is not all about thoran, pahan kudu and dansal. It is about the birth, attainment of Buddhahood and passing away of Lord Buddha. However, pandals and other decorations are seen as tributes to Lord Buddha.

Vesak Lanterns (Kudu)

Lanterns made from bamboo frames and covered in colored paper are hung inside every home. The lighting signifies an offering to the memory of the Buddha who delivered the message of Dhamma. In ancient times, people used their clay oil lamps for illumination. When candles became popular, colorful lanterns were made in different shapes and used to be lit with these new modes of illumination. [Source: Virtual Library Sri Lanka lankalibrary.com ]

Vesak lantern-making is a tradition still followed in rural areas with the whole family getting together to create these delicate lamps from split bamboo frames and tissue paper. Uniquely Sri Lankan in style, these often comprise a huge central lantern from which many tiny lanterns are suspended. Huge bamboo-framed paintings, pandals, pulsating with colored lights, are dramatic displays retelling the stories of Buddha’s life.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, Sri Lanka Tourism (srilanka.travel), Government of Sri Lanka (www.gov.lk), The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Wikipedia and various books, websites and other publications.

Last updated February 2022