JOURNAL;, R. A. S. ( CEYLON). [ Vol. TIL, I*t. L 



A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL RELIGIOUS 

 CEREMONIES OBSERVED BY THE KANDYANS 

 OF CEYLON, 



By C. J. R. LeMesurier, CCS, 

 (Read May 7th, 1881.; 



1. — The religious ceremonies of the Kandyans begin with 

 that of New Year - the Awurudu Mangaliya. This commences 

 at a lucky hour, fixed by the astrologers, on the 11th of ApriL 

 During the short interval that precedes it, while the old year 

 is passing away, no food is eaten save that which has been 

 prepared before that interval; and the people do not wash, work, 

 spend money, or give alms. At the lucky hour (the Nekata) 

 a gun is fired from a parapet on the walls of the temple con- 

 taining the Sacred Tooth at Kandy, and the New Year begins. 

 The customary daily ceremonies are then observed, but with 

 more show than usual. The tom-toms are more vigorously 

 beaten, the tenants of the temple and the priests put on their 

 best clothes; and the services are more sumptuously performed. 

 Milk is boiled in the main entrance to the temple, and is after- 

 wards sprinkled over the floors. During the days of the 

 kingdom, the king himself used to attend the opening services; 

 but now the Diyawadana Nilanie' and other influential Bud- 

 dhists take his place. 



The offerings are much better than usual, and more neatly and 

 extravagantly prepared. If the lucky hour is in the morning,rice 

 and curry and sweetmeats are offered; the curry being of thirty, 

 and the sweetmeats of thirty-two kinds. If the lucky hour 

 falls in the evening, drinkables are presented. Besides these, it 

 is usual for the wealthy to offer robes, fans, cloths, and other 

 articles of value to the priesthood. At the beginning of the 



