With thousands of white-clad devotees observing sil at temples across the country on Vesak Day, the thrice-blessed poya which fell yesterday, the walkabouts to see the beautiful sights take place today.
As Sri Lanka begins the commemoration of the 2601st Sambuddhatva Jayanthi, people of all ages and all religions will come out in their numbers to see the illuminations ranging from tiny kudus in humble homes to more elaborate kudus at shops or commercial establishments as well as the giant pandals which will rise into the skies at junctions. Vesak is the commemoration of the Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana of Lord Buddha.
Walking or going by trishaw, car, van or truck loaded not only with chairs but also men, women and children, they will stop here or there to join a queue to have a steaming plate of rice and curry or noodles at one dansala or grab a cone of kadala, an ice cream, a milk or a drink at another.
B.M. Chandrapala who lives in Kalubowila as he works in Colombo says that even though he and his family are from Mahiyangana, they prefer to stay in the city for Vesak because they feel that it is celebrated best here.
The city is crowded and Chandrapala feels that though times are hard many people get onto the streets to enjoy Vesak. There is a feeling of celebration which is not found in the village.
“We spend a lot of time seeing the pandals and the stories related during the evening,” he told the Sunday Times which was attempting to ascertain whether Vesak crowds had reduced or increased as well as whether the patronage of dansals had dropped.
On the way, he, his wife and toddler-daughter would stop on the way to have their dinner. On the days that the family goes sightseeing, they will not cook the meagre meal that they usually do. After a night of walking, by early morning Chandrapala would have to carry his sleeping child and with his wife, head back home, weary but happy.
For Priyantha Nawalage from Kelaniya who was having brisk sale for his Vesak lanterns close to the Fort Railway Station when the Sunday Times met him them, the number of people who will walk around taking in the beautiful sights have increased as peace prevails in the country.
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| Enjoying the city: Chandrapala and
family. Pix by Indika Handuwala |
The Sunday Times counted 20 pandals within the city limits of Colombo along with numerous mega-sized lanterns (pahan kudu) and dansalas. Some of the huge pandals in the city are at Gangaramaya and Borella and just outside at Kiribathgoda, Peliyagoda and Kosgasdeniya.
Anura Bandara of Piliyandala said that he, his sisters and friends get-together and go sightseeing, as they do not make any lanterns at home and hang them.
“Our favourite place is the BMICH but there are also many Vesak Kalapayas that can be visited at Braybrooke Place, Dehiwala, Karagampitiya, Gregory’s Road, Colombo 7, the Gangarama, Buller’s Road and Lake House,” he pointed out giving his choices.
For Ashani Isuru from Kandana the season of Vesak is “family time” where kith and kin join to go see the sights. “People even hire big vehicles such as lorries so that no one is left out. It’s a time that everyone looks forward to,” she says.
An integral part of Vesak, of course, is the dansala. Organized well ahead of Vesak by groups of people, some from business enterprises others from the community itself, the traditional dansal have changed over the years.
According to Chandrapala the buth (rice) dansal which would mushroom at every street corner are no more. More and more organizers of dansal are going in for ice cream and noodles rather than rice and curry.
“The dansal are more commercialised these days,” says Priyanka Kumari from Kottawa while Priyantha Nawalage disagrees. “Even after collecting a small amount of money people still organize dansal in the honest spirit of giving,” he says with Ashani Isuru agreeing.
This is a tradition which is being strictly adhered to even though the cost of living is very high, she says.
“Vesak is a time for us to shed our differences,” says Hashan from Kandy. “We all gather in the streets to view the pandals and lanterns putting aside our differences aside. It strengthens the teachings of Lord Buddha who said, ‘Equality for every living being’.”
The lantern that is lit in the mansion of the rich might be different in size, quality or cost to that of a lantern shining in the hut of a poor family but they both glow in the same light symbolizing Lord Buddha’s teachings – the Dhamma which lights up the whole world. |
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