No. 29.— 1884.] 



A1VT-KELIYA. 



383 



After a short interval a rope was stretched from the an-gaha, and the 

 Udupila party all made to stand on one side of it, whilst their Yatipila 

 conquerors contemned them by raising an abusive refrain couched in 

 terms of which the less said the better. It commenced thus, one man 

 at a time giving vent to his impromptu sarcasm and abuse, the rest 

 striking in after each line with " hdyiyo" : — 



Hondada, pute, 



Hoyiyo ! 



An-keUyd, 



Hoyiyo ! 



u Good, my boy, was'nt it, 

 Ha! ha! 



Your pulling the horns, 

 Ha! ha!" 



[The evident relish with which the foulest expressions, coined extem- 

 pore by the Yatipila " coryphaus" would appear to be appreciated by 

 his fellows, leaves on the mind no enhanced respect for the Sinhalese 

 villager in his lighter mood. To the credit of the vanquished be it said, 

 they usually submit to the incessant volley of " Billingsgate " with 

 perfect, if sullen, silence, worthy of a better cause.]* 



As I quitted the wierd scene now lit by the dim torches, the " fun " 

 (save the mark !) began to wax fast and furious, and would probably be 

 carried on for hours. 



[From the day of commencing the ceremonies attending an-keliya, the 

 villagers should cleanse themselves, and their houses, and refrain from 

 eating prohibited [flesh, in order to keep free of all uncleanness (kili). 

 After the lapse of some days, and when one or two horns have been broken, 

 arrangements are made for the pelt, or procession round the villages. 

 The Kapurala and Kattadiya inform the people of the days fixed for 

 the procession, who, as a rule, then send necessary requirements, as 

 provisions, cloth, money, &c, to the an-pitiya, for their use. On the 

 procession day the inmates of each house bathe, anoint their heads, 

 and get together money (to be offered to the sacred deyiran box), 

 earthen pots adorned with cocoanut flowers, and saffron-water for 

 sprinkling. Those accompanying the procession provide themselves 

 with tambourins, tom-toms, trumpets, and all kinds of Sinhalese music. 



* A story is told of a Mudaliyar and his servant, passing together 

 near an an-pitiyak, the latter holding a talipot leaf umbrella over his 

 master's head. Suddenly the cry " hoyiyo " arose from the victorious 

 side, to which the servant belonged, the Mudaliyar being of the van- 

 quished party. Thereupon the servant began to dance for joy behind the 

 Mudaliyar, ever and anon shouting " hoyiyo" and tapping the great man's 

 head with the talipot leaf. The Mudaliyar, naturally surprised and 

 angry, turned upon him with " How now, fellow ! " f " Mokada, bola ! 

 to which the servant replied, " See, sir, we have won ! " f " Ane, Hdmu- 

 duruvane, api dinuvdy) Without another word the Mudaliyar passed on, 

 shamed. 



