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Traditional lantern-makers find Vesak Zones grab their support
Reduced funds, a lack of sponsors and competition from organised groups mean there will be fewer Vesak pandals and lanterns in Colombo city and its suburbs with small-scale craftsmen driven out to look for work in other cities. These craftsmen say the setting up of Vesak Zones, exhibitions and competitions have resulted in declining crowds and funds for their creations, especially in the suburbs and rural areas.
Finalising decorations for a pandal Pix by Athula Devapriya
The Vesak season begins today and ends on May 19, and a National Vesak Festival has been organised in Polonnaruwa Gal Viharaya. Some pandal and lantern-makers are in despair at the difficulties they face. Ratmalana “Maha Pahan Kuduwa” (Great Lantern) chief organiser, S. Maithreepala Silva told the Sunday Times he was unable to collect from normal donors the Rs. 200,000 needed to build the lantern, now in its 37th year. He had to get money from loan sharks to pay the contractor and for the lights. He said the public had lost interest in coming to see the massive lantern because they are charged Rs. 60 each to cover the lantern’s expenses – instead, people could view lanterns and other decorative displays in Vesak Zones free of charge.
Mr Maithreepala said the zone organisers conduct competitions to draw crowds and this had adversely affected the traditional lantern-makers. “Unlike the small lanterns in Vesak Zones that require only one or two people to make, the construction of massive lanterns needs time, patience, creativity and knowledge,” said Mr. Silva.He had to spend Rs. 200,000 for daily electricity consumption charges for the 10 days of the Vesak season. Although support had come in the past from locals, recent price hikes on materials meant that he and others like him needed financial backing from the government and other relevant authorities to continue the tradition.
The pandal coming up at Maharagama and lantern in Ratmalana
Organisers of the Vesak pandal at Thotalanga are experiencing similar difficulties and also fear they might lose the land the pandal is constructed on due to redevelopment. H.A. Malaka said most of the organisers feared for the future of the pandal. He said that they had to collect more than Rs. 3,000,000 simply to pay for the contractor and the lights when they only spent Rs. 2,800,000 on the whole project last year, and Rs. 200,000 eight years ago. The CEB had asked for a deposit of Rs. 380,000 in order to give the power connection for the pandal.He said that all the merchants in Thotalanga irrespective of religion and race had for the past 61 years given funds to construct the massive pandal. Mr. Malaka echoed Mr Maitheepala’s complaint that Vesak Zones had drawn the crowds away from traditional creations on the city’s outskirts.
Pandal contractor Sarath Kumara, said the current LED technology had affected the efforts of traditional pandal craftsmen. Moreover land development within city limits and suburbs, especially in Borella and Fort had left little space for pandals.Mr. Kumara said that sponsors and organisers hesitated to spend hefty amounts on pandals and lanterns due to the high cost of living.
The minimum cost to complete a pandal was around Rs. 2m–Rs. 2.5m because of the price of the materials.“A couple of years back, a five-watt light bulb cost around Rs. 9 but now it has shot up to Rs. 35-40. No wonder there’s a drastic decrease in pandals and lanterns,” said Mr. Kumara. He said that out of many pandals, he only secured five major contracts – in Maharagama, Nawaloka junction, Kelaniya, Pepiliyana and Malabe.
The Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs, Chandraprema Gamage, said the Buddhasasana Ministry could not provide subsidies for each lantern and pandal organizer in the country. “If we provide Rs. 100,000 for each pandal-maker then at least for 50 pandal-makers we will have to arrange more than Rs. 5m. That is something the ministry cannot afford,” said Mr. Gamage. He said organisers could get sponsorships from blue chip companies.He also stated that the police and other relevant authorities had been notified that any Vesak Zone or dansala or any other event had to conduct their proceedings according to policies and regulations imposed by the Buddhist Affairs Department, and the police had the authority to block events that did not comply with instructions given by the Secretary to the Buddhasaasana and Religious Affairs Ministry, M. K. B. Dissanayake said the National Vesak Festival would begin with the arrival of the Chief Guest, Prime Minister, D. M. Jayaratne on May 14. He said houses would be given by the ministry to the parents of the children who have been ordained as young monks.
Polonnaruwa District Secretary, Nimal Abeysiri said that the local council members had taken this responsibility for cleaning all the temples and other religious places in Polonnaruwa area. Twenty portable toilets would be placed within the Vesak Zone in Polonnaruwa and public toilets would be cleaned and kept in good order, he added.
Kandy District Secretary Gamini Senevirathne said that the main Vesak Zone of the district would be at Gampola while the Malvatte and Asgiriya temples would have separate Vesak zones.President of the Public Health Inspectors Association (PHIA), Mr. Upul Rohana said 300 special officers as well as Area Inspectors had been deployed to inspect Vesak Zones, focusing on the quality and hygiene of dansalas, food outlets, water tanks, toilets and other public facilities.
Meanwhile Police Spokesman, Senior Superintendent Ajith Rohana told the Sunday Times that 20,000 police officers would be deployed for security purposes and 10,000 for traffic and crowd control around the country during the Vesak season.