Perahera – known as Procession in English – has been fascinating many ever since its inception: Fa Hsien, Robert Knox and S W R D Bandaranaike to name a few.
Though little known for his collection of Sherlock Holmes style writing apart from his familiar field, much respected late premier Bandaranaike has dedicated the last story for Esala Perahera in the collection. The story narrates the proud feelings of the writer on seeing the richness of the culture embedded in the event. Sinhala being made an official language came as no surprise from such a politician though raised in a Western environment.
Perahera has more depth and meaning than procession; in fact the local term has already become the buzzword among foreigners. Perahera is not just a group moving along in an orderly manner, as its English rendering defines. It can well be compared with a board of Chess; every item carries significance with one or many reasons for taking part.
Whip crackers opening the Perahera is a kind of ‘declare open’ function. They announce the approach of the rest of the group. Traditionally only Adigars, the high officials in the king’s court, were allowed to employ whip crackers to announce their approach. This was not an essential item of the Perahera, which was introduced only during Disawe P B Nugawela’s period.
Whip crackers are followed by flag bearers showing the provinces and towns they belong to. Peramune Rala, the leading official, is the first to ride on an elephant. The official has the right to conduct Perahera, and keeps the records of the temple. The next elephant carrying Gajanayaka Nilame, chief officer in charge of elephants, looks regal and upright. Drummers engage seriously in their performance. This is to be followed by many dignitaries like Diyawadana Nilame, and the royal retinue in ancient sense.
The major feature of the Perahera is use of light. The heavy use of light can be a little debatable when it comes to energy crisis. However light symbolises wisdom in Buddhist philosophy, with numerous references. Moving into light from darkness means achieving wisdom ridding the ignorance in Buddhism. Many Buddhist events, especially Vesak, are celebrated with hugely lit lamps and pandals. Buddhism, on the other hand, is not a grim philosophy as many misinterpret; it spots light even in the spiritual life devoid of worldly bonds.
Why Perahera held between Esala and Nikini poya is also theoretically notable. Esala marks the first sermon of the Buddha and Nikini marks the first Dhamma convocation. Buddha started preaching only after Brahma’s invitation, because traditionally Buddhas never set the Dhamma wheel without invitation. The first Dhamma convocation was the need of the hour, as the philosophy was on the verge of shatters following the Buddha’s death, hence the convocation was held with the participation of 500 Arahath monks presided by Ven. Kasyapa. Both events symbolise the survival of the philosophy. Perahara aptly celebrates this theme.
The Perahera is rooted in Indo-Aryan tradition and was a ritual invoking the gods' blessings for rainfall during drought in the ancient. The belief on spiritual forces remained even when the British were occupying the land. When Perahera was banned in the first year of British rule, 1815, a severe drought is said to have followed crippling the country's agriculture. British had to give in for the stern protests of the locals, and lifted the ban and the heavy rains had followed. Superstitious it can be, but it shows the strong local faith on Perahera, let alone admiration. Invaders had a number of attempts to get hold of sacred relics in vain. Many scholars accredit it to the invaders’ need to wipe out the national heritage, while some view that the British shared the local belief of linking sacred relics with royal entitlement.
The Perahera has many origins, apart from its Indo-Aryan roots. As one writer mentions, 'it's lost in the mists of centuries'. Perahera has been continuing ever since taking different forms. Fa Hsien's descriptions on the Perahera, for example, do not have references on Dewale traditions.
The recent history records King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe as the first lay patron who added colour to the modern Perahera with Ven. Welivita Saranankara, the Chief Monk of the country. The royal opinion was that Perhera should have influence from Hindu rituals too, hence many Hindu temples were built alongside Dalada Maligawa.
However, the king had to rethink about his policy because of Siamese monks who wanted to establish Upasampadha ordination in Sri Lanka. They are reported to have been taken aback to observe Hindu elements in the function. The King had then ordered the Perahera to be headed with sacred relics. However in today’s context – as Sir Richard Aluwihare notes in The Kandy Esala Perahera - sacred tooth relic is not carried in the Perahera. Only a duplicate of the casket is carried because it is considered inauspicious to remove the relics from the sacred precincts.
The ceremony starts with cutting down either a jak or rukattana tree that gives out a milky sap. The intention of this procedure is to open the function with a sign of prosperity. Before cutting, the tree is anointed with a preparation of sandalwood and offerings of a lamp with seven wicks, nine betel leaves and nine types of flowers.
Elephant and tusker play a major role in not only Perahera but Buddhism too, unlike other animals. In the case of Perahera, Tusker is the only animal privileged with carrying the sacred tooth relic on the back during the Perahera. Elephant has many allusions in Buddhist references: he is compared with a being who bears all the shortcomings in the life. Campaign against tusker slaughter seeking tusks partly stems from the Buddhist traditional thinking. Dalada Maligawa has interesting and moving stories about tuskers who carried the sacred relics. Raja, stuffed in Maligawa museum, is a ‘living’ example.
Perahera may look as another colourful pageant to a general observer. The Kandy Esala Perahera, strictly speaking, is really not so; it implies a lot of nuances that have survived the ages – they deserve a great deal of patient observation.
