64 



JOURNAL, R. A. S. (CEYLON). [Vol. VIII. 



Definitions. 



The folio wiDg are the twenty-seven asterisms (neket)* 



1. — Asvida. 



2. — Berana. 



3. — Keti. 



4. — Rehena. 



5. — Muwasirisa. 



6. — Ada. 



7. — Punawasa. 



8. — Pusha. 



9. — Aslisa. 



10. _Manekata. 



1 1 . — Puwapal. 



12. — Uttarapal. 



13. -Rata. 



14. -Sita. 



15. — Sa. 



16. — Visa. 



17. — Aimra. 

 18— Beta 



19. — Mula. 



20. — Puwasala. 



21. — Uttarasala. 



22. — Suvana. 



23. — Denata. 



24. — Siyawasa. 



25. — Puwaputupa. 



26. — Uttaraputupa. 



27. — Revatiya. 



II. — The fifteen lunar days (tithi) during which the moon 

 waxes are named : — 



1. — Pelaviya. 



2. — Diyawaka. 



3. — Tiyawaka. 



4. — Jalawaka. 



5. — Viseniya. 



6. — Satawaka. 



7. — Satawaka. 



8. — Atawaka. 



9. — Nawawaka. 

 10. — Dasawaka. 



11. — Ekoloswaka. 



12. — Doloswaka. 



13. — Teles waka. 



14. — Tuduswaka. 



1 5. — Pasaloswaka. 



The same order should be followed for the fifteen tithi she 

 wanes — the 15th day being termed Amawaka.f 



not inside the house. The house inmates are directed by the Kapurala 

 to stand by the evari-kanuwa and yahana in bowing attitude with joined 

 palms, whilst he chants yddini regarding Kadavara Yahsayus birth and 

 power, invoking his aid to ward off sickness from them, and to prosper 

 their tillage and trades. The Kapurala then tastes each of the seven 

 heaps, and the whole are afterwards eaten by all assembled. If the 

 ceremony ends with the eating of this rice, it is called Kudd-yahun- 

 piduma, but hellun maduva if the dancing and tom-tom beating is con- 

 tinued till morning. 



Many other Yaksayo are jointly propitiated, such as Dunumdla-yakun, 

 Moratuwe-yakun, Katugampola-yakun, Kalu-kumdra yakun, Viramunda- 

 yakun. 



* Strictly speaking there are 28 neliet or asterisms: the nehata ' Abiyut* 

 (a fractional or occasional "mansion" only, consequent on the moon's 

 periodical revolution occupying 27-8 days) lies between < Uttarasala' and 

 ' Suvana.' The Maldivians retain the full number of " lunar mansions," 

 but place 'Avihi' (Abiyut) last, save 'Re'va' (Revatiya), thus : — Assida, Burunu, 

 Keti, Rdnu, Miyaheliha, Ada, Funds, Fus, Ahuliha, Ma, Fura, Utura, Ata, 

 Hita, He, Viha, Nora, Dorha, Mula, Furahala, Uturuhala, Huvan, Dinarha, 

 Hiyaviha, Furabaduruva, Fasbaduruva, Avihi, Keva. "The tithi and 

 neJtata of any day or time are those in which the moon is in her course 

 through the zodiac in that day or time." 



f The lunar month is divided into jpitra or purva pakshe (from the clay 

 after the new moon to full moon day), and ava or apara pakslU (from clay 

 after full moon to new moon day). 



