Devol Madu Shanthikarmaya

          There are many shantikarma belonging to the low country tradition. Among the shanthikarma performed  for god, devils & Planets gods "Devol Madu Shanthikarmaya" considered the most important shanthikarmaya for gods. 

    This Devol Madu Shanthikarmaya  is popularly celebrated as an annual feast in Pathwini dewalaya. This shanthikarmaya is also knows as "Gam Maduwa" when the village is blessed on the Pathwini devalaya & the Devol god occupies a prominent place in the yagaya.

  

Objectives of conduct

1. Obtaining the blessings of Goddes to protect against diseases like 'papola' ,'measles’, ‘smallpox', 'kambulgaya' etc.

2. As a shanthikarmaya sacrifice for a good harvest.

3. Get rid such as devil eye, devel mouth, sicknesses, worries & bad thoughts.

4.Enjoy

5. Protection against natural disasters such as drought , floods,typhons,wildtris & tsunami.

Periods of conduct

   After harvesting back to the beginning of farming the coming leisure time the villagers use for a dewol madu. Often held in March & April. This is due to the fact that this period is an economically prosperous time.

     For other special reasons the time periods are not taken into account when conducting DewolMadu Shanthikarmaya.

Areas where Devol Madu is popular

   This Shanthikarmaya is popular in the southwestern & southern coastal areas of Sri Lanka.mainly found in Gampha, Colombo & Kaluthara districts. The area that belongs to Raigam Koralaya in kaluthra district is a special place here.

Main orchestra

  Low Country Drum is the main instrument used for this shanthikarma.It is also known as Devol Drum.

Theatrical Costumes

   There are several theatrical costumes used in the low country devol madu yagaya. Out of these two main sets of clothes can be distinguished.

 1." Thelma " dresser

 2." Devol" dresser

" Thelma " dresser

This is a very fancy dress. Related to these jewelry, head heels, jackets and waist shape is finished in shiny fabrics such as villu.It has also been used for beads For that outfit,

                                 • Jata
                                 • Boricchi hattaya
                                 • The collar 
                                 • Waist shape 
                                 • Oil kachchi 
                                 • Back side Thalla 
                                 • Athpati 
                                 • Socks pants 
                                 • Silambu

“Devol” dresser 

      The outfit is made of red to make it look more elegant. For that outfit,
                                 • Kaagul hat 
                                 • Kaagul
                                 • Waistband 
                                 • Athdiga hattaya
                                 • Seelaya
                                 • Pachcha wadama
                                 • Waist shape
                                 • Socks pants
                                 • Legs band
                                 • Silambu
                                 • Gigiri
                                 • Sooluleeya.

The gods who are sacrificed

       The main deity worshiped at the devol madu is the goddess pathwini, Devol dewi hathkattuwa, Wishnu, Saman, Katharagama, Natha,Wahala, Mangara & Dolaha devidn an are offered in this yagaya.

The Legend

      The story of Devol Madu shanthikarmaya is related to King Seerimana. In the Chola Empire, the king's garden was deserted and the king's orders were executed by the to kill the pregnant sacks. While pursuing these sacks, he slipped into a pond near the sack and died of hatred for the king. Later, the bull was born in the same pond. One day while the king was watching the garden, he broke a beautiful blue lily in a nearby pond and smelled it. The little frog, hiding under the flower, instantly plunged into the king's nose pierced, causing the king to fall sick. The king had a severe headache, and the doctors treated him with various remedies, but there was no cure. In time the king saw a beautiful woman in a dream. It was now known to the ancestors of the king, who thought that the king had seen in his dreams the goddess Pathwini and that the king had a curse on her. In order to overcome the curse, the Brahman’s idea was to go to a country with Buddhism and pay homage to the goddess Pathwini . History records that the first Devol Madhu Yoga was held at Sri lanka, the ideal country. As a result of this, the king's headache was healed and legends tell us that from that time on, the Devol Madu shanthikarmaya was established in Sri Lanka as well.

The Ritual

  The are two types of rituals related to Devol madu shanthikarmya.

  1.Precedend Ritual

  2.Madu day Ritual

           • Preceded Customs.

               1. Allocation of rice for the sake of god
                    Handing over the reserved harvest to the Devale before the Day of Devol Madu. 

                2. Gas bada wen kirima

                     Allocation of trees in the garden for the purpose of God. A gok leaf is placed around the tree and reserved for God.     

    

                3. Kupa situwima

                       Kapa situwima is performed as a pledge to God that he will make a sacrifice.                  

 

           • Madu day Ritual

       After sunset, the Gammadu enclosure is traditionally lit up using gini pandam fire torches, though high powered lamps are more popular in modern times. Rituals begin with the gini keliya, or fire dance, which is said to ward off evil spirits and cleanse the area of negative energies.

     

       1. Madu pe kirima

       2.Thota meta yaama

       3. Orumala peedenna oppu kirima

       4. Meella kapima

       5. Biso cup situwima

       6. Hagala pee kirima

       7. To light a flower lamp

       8. Kala pandan dima

       9. Thoran yagaya

     10. Dalumura pideema

     11. Weran wadima & pathwini netima

     12. Magul Bera wadanayaa

     13. Thelme netima

     14. Waahala netima

     15. Pidawili dima

     16. Aba widamana

     17. Devil dancing

     18. Dolaha pelapaliya

     19. Maraa ipeddima

     20. Wes peema & Garayakuma

     21. Kiri ithirama & Commemoration of the Pin

Special Features of Devol Madu yagaya

   1. Opportunity of drumming

               • Magul Bera wadanaya
                • Pin Bera wadanaya

   2. Opportunity of singing 
                • Hagala pee kirima
                • Dalumura pideema
                • Biso cup situwima

   3. Opportunity of Dancing
                • Thelme netima
                • Waahala netima
               • Devil dancing

   4. The choreogrphy that accompanies the singing
                • Dolaha pelapaliya
                • Thoran yagaya
                • Pathwini pada netima

   5. Dramatic parade 
                • Maraa ipeddima
                • Aba widamana
                • Ath badanaya

The most unique dance of Devol Madu "THELME"

         “Thelme" this word express the idea "The oil serve" in sinhala. This dancers are dancing with oil cones, that’s why its called as Thelme. They are dancing for Dolos deviyan Dancers shows their talents during this dance and it will be a fascinating moment when they begin to reach their maximum. Photos below shows how a dancer gets ready for the event and some shots during the dance.