{"id":3708,"date":"2021-04-23T15:19:11","date_gmt":"2021-04-23T09:49:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/3708\/gods-and-magic-practices-in-the-supernatural-heart-of-sri-lanka\/"},"modified":"2021-04-23T23:24:12","modified_gmt":"2021-04-23T17:54:12","slug":"gods-and-magic-practices-in-the-supernatural-heart-of-sri-lanka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/3708\/gods-and-magic-practices-in-the-supernatural-heart-of-sri-lanka\/","title":{"rendered":"Gods and Magic Practices in The Supernatural Heart of Sri Lanka"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Devil
Devil dance in Sri Lanka \u00a9 Jerzy Strzelecki<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Sinhala community of Sri Lanka is characterised by\u00a0unique\u00a0magic practices involving a realm of spirits. The God of Gods (or\u00a0Devati\u00a0Deva<\/em>) is Lord Buddha, followed by the Gods (or\u00a0Devi\u00a0Davatas<\/em>) and then other supernatural entities, like\u00a0Yakkas,\u00a0Rakshas,\u00a0Nagas, and powerful spirits, such as\u00a0Pretayas,\u00a0Bahiravayas,\u00a0Bhutayas,\u00a0Holmanas\u00a0and\u00a0Avatharas.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Role of The Magician<\/h2>\n

These spirits can have a supernatural impact on human\u00a0beings,\u00a0therefore it is crucial the role of a mystic figure, the magician. Magicians can interact with spirits in different ways. They can operate white magic, which is protective, curative and productive, and\u00a0black magic, which is destructive and harmful. They can opt for altered states of consciousness (such as trance, invocation, sorcery or exorcism), animation (through spells, charms or dances), artefacts and offerings or rites and rituals, and their purpose is to either obtain prosperity or destroy enemies.<\/p>\n

Buddha And Buddhism: Pirith And Bodhi Puja<\/h2>\n

Buddhism plays a vital role within the Sinhala community. The recitation of Buddhist texts or words of the Buddha is considered white magic to obtain peace or\u00a0cure sickness.<\/p>\n

With the term\u00a0Pirith<\/em>\u00a0we refer to a set of protective chants or runes which can be performed by both lay men and Buddhist monks (bhikkhus<\/em>). It constitutes a very popular ceremony among the Buddhists of Sri Lanka to protect the individual involved from any type of disaster.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0bhikkhu\u00a0chants a\u00a0Pirith\u00a0tying a piece of the sacred thread (Pirith\u00a0Nula<\/em>) around the arm or wrist of the person and using the enchanted noble water (Pirith\u00a0Pan<\/em>) by drinking or sprinkling it.<\/p>\n

Another important practice\u00a0involves the Bodhi (Ficus\u00a0Religiosa<\/em>), the sacred tree under which Buddha gained Illumination.\u00a0Bodhi Puja<\/em>\u00a0is an individual or family ritual performed to ask for healing of serious illnesses or getting obstacles removed from life.<\/p>\n

Gods and Goddesses From\u00a0India And Sri Lanka<\/h2>\n

The Sinhala community believes in\u00a0a large number of\u00a0gods and goddesses, but only a small number can be considered as autochthonous. Most of them have their origin in the South or South-Eastern regions of India. During some rituals, magicians evoke Hindu gods and goddesses, such as Brahma,\u00a0Vishnou, Siva,\u00a0Parvati\u00a0and Uma, but they also refer to local gods, like\u00a0Saman,\u00a0Vibhishana\u00a0and\u00a0Skandha.\u00a0In particular,\u00a0Saman\u00a0is believed to be the deification of\u00a0Lakshman, the brother of Rama, while\u00a0Vibhishana\u00a0is the brother of\u00a0Ravana, who became a guardian god of Sri Lanka. Magicians also celebrate supernatural beings, such as Yama, God of Hell, and planetary deities, such as Sun,\u00a0Hiru\u00a0Devi, Moon,\u00a0Sanda\u00a0Devi,\u00a0and\u00a0Saturn,\u00a0Senahuru.<\/p>\n

Female deities occupy\u00a0an important place in this system. The goddesses\u00a0Saraswati, Kiri\u00a0amma, Kali\u00a0amma\u00a0and\u00a0Pattini\u00a0amma\u00a0have their origin in India. Artists are used to perform ceremonies called\u00a0Saraswati\u00a0Puja<\/em>\u00a0to start their activities, while classical singers usually offer\u00a0a\u00a0special song to\u00a0Saraswati. The goddess Kiri\u00a0amma\u00a0is the chief female deity of\u00a0Veddas, the indigenous group of people in Sri Lanka. As the giver of children to barren women, milk rice is offered to mothers representing the goddess in her different avatars: this ritual is called\u00a0Kiriammavarunge\u00a0Dane<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Yakkas: Masks and Magicians<\/h2>\n

Yakkas<\/em>, a term which refers to a group of demons and devils, are powerful spirits and superhuman beings which are very popular in the Sinhala community.\u00a0\u00a0The Sinhala masks to represent the\u00a0Yakkas\u00a0have some peculiar features: large protruding red eyes, a jutting-out tongue, large tusks, red lips, a\u00a0wide open\u00a0mouth and big teeth.<\/p>\n

Myths, legends and stories of the\u00a0Yakkas\u00a0and descriptions of the ceremony with\u00a0ritualistic spells, magical formulas and hymns are preserved in\u00a0Olas\u00a0<\/em>and several\u00a0hand books.\u00a0Yakkas\u00a0are very common in magical practices. Ancient Buddhist texts refer to different varieties of\u00a0Yakkas\u00a0but it is good to know that some old names and beliefs\u00a0have changed with time.<\/p>\n

The most powerful\u00a0Yakka\u00a0is\u00a0Vesamuni,<\/em>\u00a0who drinks human blood and can kill thousands of offenders with his flying sword. All the other\u00a0Yakkas\u00a0are afraid of him.\u00a0\u00a0With the term\u00a0Rakshasas<\/em>\u00a0we refer to a group of beings who live on human\u00a0flesh and blood. In the Sinhala mythology the people of prehistoric and protohistoric Sri Lanka are called\u00a0Rakshas\u00a0or\u00a0Yakkas.<\/p>\n

It is believed that a woman can give birth to a\u00a0Yakka\u00a0and a human being can be possessed by a\u00a0Yakka, the latter being called\u00a0Yakshavesha<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0Yaka\u00a0Vahima<\/em>, causing\u00a0mental\u00a0illness or madness. People think a person is possessed by a\u00a0Yakka\u00a0even when he\/she acts furiously. When a person is possessed, a magician can exorcise the\u00a0Yakka\u00a0and chase him away.<\/p>\n

Yakkas\u00a0can be used by magicians to\u00a0do harm to a person, family or community.\u00a0 When evoked,\u00a0Yakkas\u00a0can cause sickness, if associated with black magic, or they can cure physical and mental diseases.\u00a0\u00a0The magician is called\u00a0kattadiya<\/em>,\u00a0yakadura<\/em>,\u00a0yaddessa<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0gura<\/em>\u00a0depending on the practice he\/she is executing\u00a0or the region.<\/p>\n

Yakkas and All Their Forms<\/h2>\n

Yakkas\u00a0have the ability to\u00a0reincarnate into a variety of forms.<\/p>\n

Madana\u00a0Yaka<\/em>\u00a0is the\u00a0Yakka\u00a0of sexual desire, while\u00a0Kalu\u00a0Kumaraya<\/em>\u00a0is the\u00a0Yakka\u00a0of sexual desire specific to young women. He visits young women in their sleep, causes emaciation, madness and barrenness. Women\u00a0are scared of\u00a0walking alone, especially when twilight is approaching or after the sundown, since they fear to meet\u00a0Kalu\u00a0Kumaraya.<\/p>\n

Dala<\/em>\u00a0(task)\u00a0Kadawara<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0Dalaraja<\/em>\u00a0is another\u00a0Yakka\u00a0which was born in a task of an elephant, as a punishment to his incestuous marriage with his own sister. He strikes the girls with illnesses such as asthma, dumbness, madness fits and flu. In this case, the magician who takes care of it is the\u00a0yaddessa, who honours the\u00a0Dalaraja\u00a0with offerings and dances and invokes him under different names to cure the affected girl.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Yakka\u00a0of the rock is called\u00a0Gale\u00a0Yaka<\/em>\u00a0by\u00a0Veddas,\u00a0Gale\u00a0Deyyo<\/em>\u00a0by the Sinhala people and\u00a0Gale\u00a0Bandar<\/em>a\u00a0by the\u00a0Kandian\u00a0Sinhala community.<\/p>\n

Gale\u00a0Yaka\u00a0helps people to get a rich harvest and cure illnesses. Gale\u00a0Yaka\u00a0is invoked to remove evil effects when a person constructs a new house or starts a new business. Its mask has a devil face with three hoods over his head, two tusks\u00a0and ear ornaments resembling the sun and moon.<\/p>\n

Huniyam\u00a0Yaka<\/em>\u00a0is also called\u00a0Huniyam\u00a0Devata<\/em>\u00a0and causes sickness and sterility or miscarriages. He is known as the demon of the worst sorcery. The people use his power to destroy enemies.<\/p>\n

Mahasona<\/em>\u00a0lives in cemeteries and graveyards. He is one of the most dreadful\u00a0Yakkas\u00a0within the Sinhala community. He resides in slaughterhouses, neglected gardens or public baths. People avoid staying alone in these places since they fear to see him. In the Bali ceremonies he\u00a0is represented with a huge body. The Bali ritual consists of dancing and drumming in front of the Bali figures representing him made by Bali artists.<\/p>\n

Sanni\u00a0Yakkas<\/em>\u00a0causes 18 types of illnesses, such as dumbness, babbling, dysentery, deliriums, deafness,\u00a0swollen throat, lameness, bilious affections, epileptic fits etc.<\/p>\n

Other Spirits: Pretayas<\/h2>\n

Pretayas<\/em>\u00a0(Greedy Spirits) and\u00a0Mala\u00a0Yakshayo\u00a0<\/em>(Dead Spirits) are superhuman beings with lesser power. These spirits are dead ancestors who could not get rid of their desires and attachments. They can bring pathological conditions.<\/p>\n

When\u00a0Pretayas\u00a0look at food (Preta\u00a0Balma<\/em>), the person can lose appetite\u00a0or can suffer from indigestion. To avoid this, people cover the food when they\u00a0have to\u00a0move it from one place to another or they put a piece of iron or a lime next to it, especially if they are carrying fried food.<\/p>\n

Both\u00a0Pretayas\u00a0and Mala\u00a0Yakshayo\u00a0do not have any form, people can only feel their smell.<\/p>\n

Gevalayas<\/em>\u00a0are also dead ancestors who are not willing to leave their house. They make noises, such as closing and opening doors.<\/p>\n

Another type of spirit is\u00a0Bhutaya<\/em>, which has a physical body, resembling a beast.<\/p>\n

Holmana\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Avathare<\/em>\u00a0appear as temporary hallucinations as dead people who haunt houses, streets or cemeteries.<\/p>\n

A demonic ritual called\u00a0Tovil,<\/em>\u00a0which mainly consists of an exorcism, is meant to chase away these malevolent spirits.<\/p>\n

Female Demons<\/h2>\n

Some female demons are called\u00a0Yakkini<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0Yakshani<\/em>.\u00a0Kuweni<\/em>\u00a0 is a powerful\u00a0Yakkini\u00a0and is considered a\u00a0na-yakini, which is an ancestor of the\u00a0Vedda\u00a0community. She was the first wife of the first Sinhala king,\u00a0Wijaya. When she was abandoned by\u00a0Wijaya, she cursed all the Sinhala kings and Sinhala people. The ritual called\u00a0Kohomba\u00a0Kankariya<\/em>\u00a0serves the purpose of putting an end to the curse of\u00a0Kuweni\u00a0by sacrificing a symbolic\u00a0wildboar\u00a0ura\u00a0marima\u00a0(trunk of a banana tree).<\/p>\n

Balagiri\u00a0Yakinni<\/em>\u00a0strikes children with illnesses. Sinhala people used to write on the door of the house \u201cThe curse of the\u00a0Balagiri\u00a0is not for today but for tomorrow\u201d (Balgiri\u00a0dosaya\u00a0ada\u00a0nove\u00a0heta<\/em>).\u00a0Mohini<\/em>\u00a0is a very popular\u00a0yakshani. She wears a white cloth and scares young men at night. She is attracted to musicians.\u00a0Anjanam\u00a0Devi<\/em>\u00a0is a\u00a0Yakkini\u00a0who is used as an agent to perform the art of divination.\u00a0Bhairava\u00a0Yakkini<\/em>\u00a0protects minerals and other treasures of the earth.\u00a0Bodirima<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0Bodilima<\/em>\u00a0is also a female spirit, a supernatural being. She is believed to be a woman who died in childbirth, buried with the child in her womb. When people hear her groaning, they place a lighted lamp and betel leaves as offerings outside the house.<\/p>\n

Nagas<\/h2>\n

Nagas<\/em>\u00a0(cobras) are semi-divine spirits. They live in the subterranean world.\u00a0Nagas\u00a0are also considered as ancestors. They are harmless if they are not attacked. When a cobra is found in a garden, it is better to ask it nicely to go away or to try to put it in a\u00a0bottle\u00a0in order to\u00a0bring it back into the river. If a person does harm to a Naga, it is unforgivable, in fact the proverb states \u201cIf you want to kill a Naga do not miss the first shot\u201d.<\/p>\n

Other Magical Objects<\/h2>\n

The community believes not only in supernatural beings and the figure of the magician, who has special powers to negotiate with the supernatural realm, but also in the power of invocation. The Sinhala community uses a variety of objects in magical practices, evoking a magic spirit through words, thoughts, objects. They can use hair or nails taken from an individual to perform a\u00a0ritual,\u00a0this is the reason why people are always very careful not to leave these elements all around. Clothes and footprints, but also ointments, amulets, natural elements (such as stones), body parts of animals (elephants\u2019 jaws, leopards\u2019\u00a0claws) are considered useful to protect from sickness or to bring prosperity.<\/p>\n

Talismans are very popular. Every little child is protected by a talisman called\u00a0Panchaudaya<\/em>\u00a0(five arms). The oral power is also very important. Some spells, hymns, wishes, chants\u00a0and songs such as\u00a0Vaskavi<\/em>\u00a0(songs of malediction) and\u00a0Seth\u00a0Kavi<\/em>\u00a0(songs of blessing) hint at superhuman powers.<\/p>\n

Other objects are used by magicians to make offerings, such as flowers, fruits, coconuts, sweets, boiled rice, oil lamps and incense. In the ritual of Bali and\u00a0Tovil, offerings can be a particular cooked food or a living animal, such as a rooster. When the\u00a0wish is fulfilled by the God, such as a\u00a0child birth, some people offer a \u201clife to life offering\u201d (pranayata<\/em>\u00a0paranaya<\/em>), which can consist of a rooster or plant. All the taboos must be observed to avoid dangerous consequences, such as wearing just white clothes especially in Buddhist\u00a0ceremonies, ceremonial bathing etc. Both magicians and participants avoid prohibited things, called\u00a0the dirt and\u00a0filt\u00a0(<\/em>Kili), which can reduce the effect of the magical power.<\/p>\n

In the Sinhala community, magic is a social and cultural phenomenon. Magic is part of their everyday life, especially in the different circumstances when they want to eradicate enemies, overcome difficulties, cure illnesses and gain prosperity and happiness.<\/p>\n

Editor: Silvia\u00a0Ricciardi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Sinhala community of Sri Lanka is characterised by\u00a0unique\u00a0magic practices involving a realm of spirits. The God of Gods (or\u00a0Devati\u00a0Deva) is Lord Buddha, followed by the Gods (or\u00a0Devi\u00a0Davatas) and then other supernatural entities, like\u00a0Yakkas,\u00a0Rakshas,\u00a0Nagas, and powerful spirits, such as\u00a0Pretayas,\u00a0Bahiravayas,\u00a0Bhutayas,\u00a0Holmanas\u00a0and\u00a0Avatharas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3706,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[270,341,122,80,421,326],"class_list":["post-3708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-discover-sri-lanka-fr","tag-buddhism-fr","tag-culture-fr","tag-renaissance-sri-lanka-fr","tag-sri-lanka-fr","tag-tourism-in-sri-lanka-fr","tag-vijaya-fr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3708"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}