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It’s their night
By Ishani Ranasinghe & Aaysha Cader
All roads led to the Kelaniya Temple last Tuesday evening. The neighbourhood was abuzz with people trying to find a place with the best view, street vendors proclaiming their wares and elephants, lazily feeding on leaves and branches. All indications of a grand night ahead.

The Kelaniya Duruthu Maha Perahera held annually heralding the New Year commemorates the visit of Lord Buddha to Kelaniya in the eighth year after He attained Buddhahood. First held in January 1927, a grand procession of drummers, dancers, torch-bearers, elephants and acrobats makes this perahera, the most colourful and popular low country pageant of its kind in Sri Lanka.

As a light breeze soothes us, we walk towards a small group settling down comfortably in their own little spot in anticipation of the night ahead. S.A Chandrika has come with her two children, aged seven and ten from Kadawatha especially to witness the perahera.

Sitting on a plastic sheet spread out on the grass, Chandrika had come last year as well and has been to the perahera more than six times. "Over the years, the perahera has gradually evolved into something bigger than what it was," she says ,adding that she also goes to the Kandy Perahera regularly. Each is spectacular and unique in its own way, she feels. It's 5.30 now and the perahera will be passing their spot around 10.30 p.m. but she like most others, plans on staying till the very end.

"Getting a bus home will be difficult," says Sumithra Jayawardena. The best time to go back is in the wee hours of the morning, she says and others nod in agreement quite content to stay late. Closer to the temple, numerous devotees are awaiting the procession, as well as the dawn of the Poya day.

Disna Harshani, 13, faithfully makes her way to witness the perahera every year as she attends a Sunday school affiliated to the temple. Some of the students are also perahera participants especially of the 'Mal Perahera' and the 'Devadutha' segments of the ceremony.

Among the numerous devotees who had congregated at the top of the steps to the temple, was 62-year-old Gnanawathie, who had come from Dompe. A regular visitor to the Kelaniya Temple in Duruthu, she says that her main intention was to observe sil on Poya day. This perahera is worth witnessing, she smiles.

For the past ten years Indurage Somawathie has been coming all the way from Kurunegala to see this magnificent pageant. "Every year, the Perahera gets better," she says, adding that the crowd too has been increasing over the years.

A faithful spectator at the Kandy Perahera as well, she feels the Kelaniya one has more sections, participationwise than the one in Kandy. The perahera brings in not only devotees but also many who come to witness a magnificent pageant not found anywhere else in the world.

Mary and Roy Marcus from the UK are holidaying in Sri Lanka. Not quite being able to pronounce the word perahera they say they are here because, "this is something local and rich in culture". It's surprising that many locals did not know about this, they add, "even the hotel didn't know about it and we had to ask around and come on our own".

The focal point of the Duruthu Perahera or the Kelaniya Perahera as some prefer to term it is the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya. The temple draws in many visitors not only to worship but also to explore its famed architecture, its remarkable frescoes and statues, and also to learn of the many myths and legends, which surround this religious site.

It's organised chaos inside the Kelaniya Temple. There is pirith being chanted on the loudspeakers, while announcements are being made at regular intervals, informing the mahouts of their place in the procession. Walking through people worshipping, lighting pahan and incense sticks we make our way towards the participants of the perahera.

Sunset. As the auspicious time for the dancers to get ready nears, there is excitement in the air. The temple and the vicinity are beautifully lit. A sense of urgency engulfs the participants as they make their way to adorn themselves in their ceremonial garb. With their instruments in hand, they file into the rooms.

Elsewhere close to the dancers, the elephants are being called out one by one to be dressed. Some minutes later, their illuminated, colourful costumes make them look regal and majestic. And so as the spectators watch in awe, another Kelaniya Duruthu Maha Perahera is held.

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