An ancient ceremony unfolds in step with tradition
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Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
It was an ancient tradition of Ves (initiation to sacred Kandyan dance) that took place at the Sri Jinendrarama Vihara in Colombo 7.
To the reverberating sounds of the Kandyan drums, the initiates swirled and pirouetted, flashing the silver, red and white Ves andum topped by silver Ves thattu crown, elaborate regalia that commemorates that the original performers were royal and august personages from Malaya Rata.
The Ves ceremony is highly symbolic and begins with pe-veema or ritual purification (of both the supplicant and clothes), and white cloth covers the grand crown till it is ready for mortal eyes.
A tree with milky sap has to be cut, and each supplicant looks at a cow to avoid evil eye. Then the dancer-to-be sees his reflection in a kiri-koraha (a vessel filled with milk), in water, and finally in a looking glass. This is followed by granting of permission by parents and teacher and then the mangalam (the auspicious first) dance. Academics Yohan Punchinilame, Tharanga Dissanayaka, Sararuk Priyadharshana and Sadapathi Priyadharshana were present to see that the rites and rituals were performed in tandem with the traditions of yore
It was a difficult initiation due to the COVID-19 restrictions for the group led by Nilan Maligaspe and ten of his students from the Creative Dance and Drama Academy having placed their ritual offerings (panduru) in March last year before the lockdown. Though he himself is a veteran dancer schooled in both occidental and eastern traditions Nilan was overjoyed to finally be part of the upcountry tradition’s inner sanctum. Nilan was trained by his two teachers Ranganatha and Vidyaratne. His Ves was granted by Daniel Gurunnanse.
