2011-07-26T09:59:00.008+05:30

Dancing
People of ancient Sri Lanka regarded dance the best way to pleasure the nature gods. They danced to save themselves from natural disasters. Tradition of dance started in Sri Lanka during the 4th century B.C. South Indian influence became obvious in Sri Lanka in 15th century AD. It was particularly evident in the folk dances. And local traditions made dances of a particular area different from other areas.

Ves dance
"Ves" dance, the most popular, originated from an ancient purification ritual, the Kohomba Yakuma or Kohomba Kankariya. The dance was propitiatory, never secular, and performed only by males. The elaborate ves costume, particularly the headgear, is considered sacred and is believed to belong to the deity Kohomba.
Only toward the end of the nineteenth century were ves dancers first invited to perform outside the precincts of the Kankariya Temple at the annual Kandy Perahera festival. Today the elaborately costumed ves dancer epitomizes Kandyan dance.

Naiyandi dance
Dancers in Naiyandi costume perform during the initial preparations of the Kohomba Kankariya festival, during the lighting of the lamps and the preparation of foods for the demons. The dancer wears a white cloth and white rurban, beadwork decorations on his chest, a waistband, rows of beads around his neck, silver chains, brass shoulder plates, anklets, and jingles. This is a graceful dance, also performed in Maha Visnu (Vishnu) and Kataragama Devales temples on ceremonial occasions.

Uddekki dance
Uddekki is a very prestigious dance. Its name comes from the uddekki, a small lacquered hand drum in the shape of an hourglass, about seven and half inches (18 centimeters) high, believed to have been given to people by the gods. The two drumskins are believed to have been given by the god Iswara, and the sound by Visnu; the instrument is said to have been constructed according to the instructions of Sakra and was played in the heavenly palace of the gods. It is a very difficult instruments to play. The dancer sings as he plays, tightening the strings to obtain variations of pitch.

Pantheru dance
The pantheruwa is an instrument dedicated to the goddess Pattini. It resembles a tambourine (without the skin) and has small cymbals attached at intervals around its circumference. The dance is said to have originated in the days of Prince Siddhartha, who became Buddha. The gods were believed to use this instrument to celebrate victories in war, and Sinhala kings employed pantheru dancers to celebrate victories in the battlefield. The costume is similar to that of the uddekki dancer, but the pantheru dancer wears no beaded jacket and substitutes a silk handkerchief at the waist for the elaborate frills of the uddekki dancer.

Kandy Esala Perahera

This ceremony is a procession and is one of the most spectacular pageants in South-Asia. Once a year, the holy Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha is brought out of the enshrined Palace or Temple and carried along the streets of Kandy , so that public homage could be paid. The ceremonial procession streams along the streets for 15 nights, the circuits increasing as well as the grand trappings so that in the final night it is one of the most splendid sights in Sri Lanka .
The traditional Kandyan dancers, attired in frilled costumes and glistening beads and breast plates, dance, skip and whirl to the vibrant drum beats, their anklets and headdress sparkling in the golden glow of torches

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Dancing

2011-07-26T09:56:00.000+05:30

People of ancient Sri Lanka regarded dance the best way to pleasure the nature gods. They danced to save themselves from natural disasters. Tradition of dance started in Sri Lanka during the 4th century B.C. South Indian influence became obvious in Sri Lanka in 15th century AD. It was particularly evident in the folk dances. And local traditions made dances of a particular area different from other areas.

Sasanka

2009-05-05T12:22:00.000+05:30

Sri Lankan Cultural Dancing

Dancing

Sasanka