Valli Yak Mangalya – the final ritual of the Kandy perahera

By Udumbara Udugama

With the last Randoli perahera(pageant) reaching its grand finale on Nikini Full Moon Poya (August 8) and the Daval(day) perahera the next day, the Esala perahera in Kandy ended.  But the final ritual which is the Valli Yak Mangalya began yesterday, August 10 and continues for seven days in the Vishnu Maha Devale. This is a Shanthi Karma, a ritual performed to ward off evil effects on all those who took part in the perahera.

Varuna Bandara and Krishnadas Mudiyanselage Nalaka Bandara, two Kapu Mahattayas (Kapuralas) of the Vishnu Devalaya spoke to the Sunday Times on the performance of this ritual. “Magé paramparawa 1715 indan Vishnu Devalaya Aluthnuwara thibbe kalé patan sevaya kara” (my ancestors served the Vishnu Devalaya since 1715 from the time it was in Aluthnuwara), Nalaka Bandara said. 

Varuna explained that the Vishnu Devalaya has to provide the Gurunnanse Sumanatissa Nissanka who will conduct the Valli Yak Mangalya with 32 neli (16 kilos) of raw rice,  sivili valang (small clay pots),  coconuts,  panduru (coins),  betel leaves and flowers. The ritual is conducted in the Hevisi Mandapaya where the gavaramala – a young coconut flower is hung from the roof.  On the first two days the gavaramala will be brought down to “pé karanna” (to make it ready by singing stanzas). The ritual begins around 7.30 p.m. and continues for about 1 ½ hours.

Over the next three days the stanzas are repeated in the evening. On the sixth day the ritual will continue, the stanzas repeated until the morning of the seventh day. In the afternoon around 2.30 p.m.  the raw rice is spread on the floor as Ata Magala. Sivili valang, and the other items are kept in place to begin the ritual. A ‘pirith noola’ is placed in front of the Vishnu image and praises are sung to the deity.

On the sixth and seventh days the sivili abharana, a flat plate made of wood decorated in silver and wrapped in a blue cloth is brought out by the Kapu Mahattaya and placed on the sivili valang. On the seventh day the performance will begin at 2 p.m as the Garayaka with a devil mask enters and demands soru(rice), valapalam (bananas) kevum and other sweetmeats. Once these are offered, he shouts and runs away. After the Garayaka has left, people make vows and tie panduru on the jata patiya, the strap attached to the head-dress.  The gavaramala is brought down and the florets are distributed among the people.

There are two women, Alaththi Amma dressed in white whose duty is to cook the rice to be offered to the deity in the devala premises and sitting down respond to the “Ayubowewa”  - a greeting at the beginning of each sothra (stanza).  By five that evening the final ritual of the perahera is complete.