380 



JOURNAL, E.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. VIII. 



cocoa-nut milk, vegetable curries (for flesh of any kind is forbidden), tire, 

 and honey is laid out on green plantain leaves. The feasting over, they 

 all rise at a sign from the Kapurala, and give one united shout " hdyiyd" 

 and then disperse. The Kapurala receives the customary presents, and 

 the victorious elk horn is again laid up in " lavender," if a liberal sprink- 

 ling of oil of resin may be so called, until some other threatened danger 

 brings it out. — L. Ludovici, C. A. S. Journ., 1873, pp. 20-24. 



(*) 



" An-keliya" or " Pulling of Horns." March 3, 1 883. — Witnessed this 

 superstitious game of the Sinhalese to-day, at Kalub6vila in the 

 Salpiti Korale, Western Province. Small-pox had been prevailing in the 

 villages round for some time, and the wiseacres, as usual in case of such 

 epidemics, had decided to worst the particular demon or demons res- 

 ponsible, by invoking the aid of Pattini-deviyd, the patroness of the 

 sport, with an-keli-pujdva. 



[It is customary with the Sinhalese, when any malignant type of 

 disease attacks man or beast, to meet and consider what form of ceremony, 

 an-keliya, porapol gehima, &c, the remedy had best take. The aid of 

 the Kapurala, or lay priest of a Devale, is called in to name time and 

 place. Should an-keliya be decided upon, the villagers, attended by a 

 Kapurala (sometimes by two, one for each side), proceed to the spot 

 selected ( an-pitiya ; an-pittaniya ) at the hour fixed, after the necessary 

 purification of themselves. The ground has already been sanctified by 

 the erection of a post adorned with cocoanut flowers (kap hitavanavdj 

 and two horns selected by the Kapurala, and handed over to the an-wat- 

 tddiyd, or captain, of either side. A shed is put up, ornamented with 

 various flowers and tender cocoanut leaves, which the Kapurala hal- 

 lows by prayer accompanied by the sprinkling of saffron-water, 

 the waving of incense, and jangling of the sacred deyiran, or bangles. 

 Meanwhile, the foot of a tree ( an-gaha ) is cleared, and a narrow pit 

 dug to receive the cocoanut stump (henakanda; waligaha J, and lined 

 with planks. Through the upper part of this cocoanut stump 

 (which is inserted in the pit with the shaved root upwards) a hole is 

 bored and a stout rope passed : strong nooses of kirindi* or kalu 

 creeper of a single link or more are also made round the lower part of 

 the an-gaha and the henakanda.'] 



The game had been running on for a week or two, and fortune had 

 steadily inclined to the Yatipila (lit. " Under-party ") side, the special 

 proteges of the goddess Pattini, as the Udupila (lit. " Upper-party ") are 

 of her husband, Palanga. The an-pitiya, or arena selected, was in the 

 jungle, but not far from habitations. On arrival (4 p.m.) found the 



* Rourea santaloides, W. and A, 



