Si JOURNAL ? R. A. S. (CEYLON^ [Vol. VII., Pt, 1. 



covered with a white cloth. During the five following days 

 the procession is augmented by as many elephants, attendants, 

 dancers, tom-tom beaters and flags as possible; and it makes 

 the circuit of the temple at stated periods. The processions of 

 the several temples are then joined by one from the Dalada 

 Maligawa (the temple of the Sacred Tooth), and together they 

 march round the main streets of Kandy at fixed hours during 

 the five days next ensuing. On the sixth day, and for five days 

 more, four palanquins— one for each dewale*— are added to the 

 procession, containing the arms and dresses of the gods ; and 

 on the last day the bowl of water (presently to be explained) 

 of the previous year, and the poles cut down on the first day of 

 the ceremony. On the night of the fifteenth and last day, the 

 Perahera is enlarged to the fullest limits which the means of 

 the several temples will permit, and at a fixed hour, after its 

 usual round, it starts for a ford in the river near Kandy, about 

 three miles distant from the temple of the Sacred Tooth. The 

 procession from the Maligawa, however, stops at a place called 

 the A'dahana Maluwa in Trincomalee-street, and there awaits the 

 return of the others. The ford is reached towards dawn, and 

 here the procession waits until the lucky hour (generally about 

 5 a.m.) approaches. A few minutes before its arrival the 

 chiefs of the four temples, accompanied by a band of attendants, 

 walk down in Indian file under a canopy of linen and over 

 cloths spread on the ground to the waterside. They enter a 

 boat and are punted up the river close to the bank fur some thirty 

 yards. Then at a given signal (i. e., at the advent of the lucky 

 hour) the four jack poles are thrown into the river by the men on 

 shore, while each of the four chiefs, with an ornamental silver 

 sword, cuts a circle in the water; at the same time one attend- 

 ant takes up a bowl of water from the circle, and another 

 throws away last year's supply. The boat then returns to the 

 shore, the procession goes back to Kandy, the bowls of water 

 are placed reverently in the several dewala, to remain there 



