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Lockdown won’t stop Maligawa rituals for avurudu
The avurudu rituals will be held as usual at the Sri Dalada Maligawa despite the coronavirus lockdown, Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela said.
He said the rituals would be held as they had been carried out since the period of King Parkarma Bahu IV (1302-1326 A.C.) of Polonnaruwa . The king laid down the tradition called Daladasiritha in a manual for daily rituals in honour of the sacred relic..
The Diyawadana Nilame told the Sunday Times the avurudu rituals began yesterday with oil being brought from the Natha Devale. The Kandaskanda or the lighting of the hearth will take place on the 13th at 8.20 pm. The rituals will end with the Nanapura Mangalaya on the 15th at 9.17 am. Nanapura ceremony is connected with the bathing of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This ceremony is not open to anyone other than those who conduct the ceremony.
K.M. Karunatillke who is the chief lay officer and holder of the hereditary post Kariya Karawana Korale has already informed the principal Devales the times and schedules of the rituals.
The Diyawadana Nilame said the Malgawa had conducted its rituals even during crisis situations. For instance, in 1998, when there was a curfew due to the separatists’ violence, the Maligawa held the Esala Peraehra, with the then Diyawadana Nilame Nirajan Wijeyaratne attired in full regalia carrying the Golden Karanduwa and circling thrice each day the courtyard of the two-storied shrine. In the last Randoli Day Perahera, the Maligawa Tusker carried the Golden Karanduwa around the temple square, while the kapuralas of the four Devales carried the insignia of the deities on their shoulders.
The then Basnayake Nilames walked the short distance to Jandadipahti Mandiraya gates to greet President Ranasinghe Premadasa who had come to watch the Perahera in keeping with the traditions.
Diyawadana Nilame Dela said that even when the Maligawa was bombed by the LTTE, the 9.30 am rituals were conducted since the main Shrine Room and the main Golden Karnduwa were untouched by the blast.
He said this year, too, all the rituals and ceremonies associated with the avurudu would be conducted according to the customs.
Provincial Devale Basnayake Nilame Walhagoda Seevali Nugegoda said the devale rituals would also be held according to the instructions of the Sri Dalada Maligawa Kariya Karawana Korale.