Kandy Esala Perahera - Part II

By the way did anyone notice the degree of motion blur varying with each pic? You see.. between me and the street was a parapet wall but (cause I was up on the platform) it only reached up to my knee. To get a better view I had to lean on this low parapet and take pics with a stretched arm holding out the cam. *I'm still not good at one handed snapping* =D

But I think.. my 'Leaning Tower of Pisa' pose did freak out the spectators sitting around me. Cause there was a sheer 12+ ft drop right below me. lol Oh and the weather too was biting cold, so couldn't help the extra motion blur. -__-

Putting that aside.. let's get back to the pageant.


9.50pm: Flag bearers (these were Buddhist Flags)

Different groups carried different types of flags, made of all kinds of materials from cloth to copper/ brass. Apart from Buddhist flags, they carried flags representing provinces and ancient divisions.


9.55pm: Traditional Drummers

This is a handful of our traditional percussion. The short drum at the front is called 'Dawula', and the twin drum at the center and rear is called 'Tammettama'. These two types of drums need sticks to play them. The long drum you saw last time is called 'Geta Beraya'. *hopefully in future I'll try and get some close ups of them*


10.02pm: More dancers

We have 3 main types of traditional dancing called 'Udarata' (up country), 'Pahatarata' (low country) and 'Sabaragamu'. This pageant represents not only the performers of these schools but also other types of dancing influenced mainly by Indian folk dances. Good examples are Kawadi and Wadiga Patuna.. though this time they missed out the latter. (if you want to know more about our traditional dances, click here)


10.05pm: Perahera progressing towards Maligawa (see all the torch bearers on either sides?)

That flame is sizzling hot, and it saved me from freezing into an ice block! *seriously, I'm not kidding* =D


10.13pm: Weaving pole dance (not sure of its actual name)

Here a group of dancers, each holding a thick colored cord, dance around a pole in the middle. Their dancing has to be precise and follow a certain pattern, which in turn weaves a nice colorful design across the pole. One wrong step and it won't come out nice. They undo this design by dancing the other way round.


10.24pm: Cane dance

This was a high speed dance that thrilled the spectators. The one in the middle holds two bundles of canes on each hand, and the other ends of each cane is held by the dancers standing in the circle. When the dance begins, the one in the middle drops himself on the ground and starts spinning (in both directions from time to time) while the ones around starts running at break neck speeds. They form 2 concentric circles, where the outer circle runs anticlockwise and the inner circle runs clockwise! *you'll see their dance in the videos later*

Once the dance ends, another one enters the circle and switch place with the middle performer.. before the next session begins. I think holding huge bundles of canes while they twist and turn at high speeds does take its toll on their palms.


10.25pm: Elephant costume

They said on TV that there are perennial clans involved in designing and making elephant costumes, which is of course no easy task. After centuries of evolving now the costumes have become more sophisticated and flashy, like the ones you see below, adorned with numerous tiny bulbs.


10.33pm: Glamorous pachyderms


10.38pm: Raban Spinners

Here the frisbee shaped small drum called rabana is spun at high speed atop a stick or finger. They also have branched sticks to revolve more than one drum. What's exciting is.. while they spin they also throw these drums high up.. about 15- 20 ft.. and catch them, almost simultaneously!


10.40pm: Two tuskers (doesn't this motion blur looks super cool?) =D

And now we're about to reach the culmination of Dalada Perahera, ie. the main perahera.


10.41pm: The middle tusker bears the sacred relics of Maligawa (see the three tuskers at the distance)

When the sacred tusker 'Nendungamuwe Raja' carrying the 'Ransivi Ge' (the huge golden casket that encases the stupa shaped receptacle with relics) enters our vicinity.. it is a custom to rise up (even if seated on the ground) and stand on our feet. Despite our religion, cast, creed, nationality (including foreigners) or even position (including the kings and nowadays the presidents and all levels of clergy of all religions) have to stand up as a mark of respect!


10.43pm: Kandyan Dancers

Kandyan dancers are the pride of Lankan traditional dances. It is a dance form well known throughout the world and is also one of the most popular dances performed at star class hotels here. The glamor in the costume and the elegance of the dance itself is truly spellbinding.


10.45pm: Nendungamuwe Raja escorted by two other tuskers passing before us. (see the huge golden casket on the tusker's back? within that casket sits the stupa shaped golden receptacle bearing the relics)

It is said that in the olden times the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha was paraded along the streets during the Dalada Perahera but at some point they have stopped this custom and paraded some other relics in place since then. The stupa shaped golden receptacle carried along the perahera is called 'Perahera Karanduwa' and is usually kept right next to the big golden receptacle that encases the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Since then to date the Sacred Tooth Relic is not moved from its (7 caskets) receptacle other than every five years when the sacred relic is exhibited during the 'Dalada Exposition' at Maligawa. (The stupa shaped 7 caskets are placed one within the other, and are made of 7 different materials like gold, silver, bronze and so on with dwindling sizes, while the innermost one is made of crystal)

Now we're almost at the end of Dalada Perahera, but there's 4 more pageants (Devala Perahera) to go. I'll try to wrap it up in the next post if possible, and also include the video clips too. *oops! got to edit them first*

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Sorry that this post has gotten so lengthy. *keeping short and sweet is no more the trend, right?* =D