The betel leaf

The importance of the betel leaf

A sheaf of betel is associated almost with every important event and milestone of our lives. It is used in welcoming, showing reverence, communication good and bad news and demonstrating social give and take in the rural society even today.  A visitor to the house in made welcome by offering betel leaves cuts across all social distinction. It gives One equality. In ancient times it was found in every household – rich or poor.

                    It is also a sign of affection. One many prepare a chew for a relation or a friend as a token of companionship. The betel is offered by the young to the elders as a symbol of respect. A person would offer it with the stem away from one’s self. Sometimes he may go down on his knees, once the sheaf is accepted. On the Sinhala and Tamil New Year’s  day.  it is customary for the young to offer a sheaf of betel to the elders and worship them.

                   The chief guest for a cultural function would be invited with a sheaf of betel. At a funeral house the betel is arranged upside down on the betel tray. A student on his first day in school and after the New Year would offer a sheaf of betel and worship his or her teacher. Betel is significant in the performance of the Sinhala marriage customs. Relative are invited for wedding with the betel leaf, like an incitation card. A family will get as many leaves as the numbers invited.

At ceremonies when money is exchanged the money would be on a betel leaf  or wrapped in it. In the past, Buddhist priest and Ayurvedic physicians were never offered money.

The comb of bananas

The comb of bananas too is Culturaly important like the sheaf                                                   

of  betel. The comb of bananas is favoured as a gift. It occupies

A significant place in the traditional table laid along with other

Sweet meats like KEVUM(oil cakes), KOKIS, and milkrice. The

Comb of bananas too cuts across social distinctions. A poor man

Could offer a comb of bananas from his crop to the richest man

And no distinctions are made.

               The comb of bananas occupies a significant place in the

‘POOJA’ tray at the hindu kovil. The banana is one kind of fruit

Applied on the god’s body in performing the ABHISEKHAM  Ceromany. This is done to get the god’s blessing. The yellow colour of the banana is considered a sign of prosperity, therefore, the bananas secure an important place in the trays used in Ceromonies, such as engagements, weddings of the hindu.

Festivals

Sinhala and Tamil New Year

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year ("Aluth Avurudhu" in Sinhala, "Puthiyathandu" in Tamil) is a very large cultural event on the island. The festival falls in April (also known as the month of bak) when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries). Unusually, both the end of one year and the beginning of the next occur not at midnight but at separate times determined by astrologers with a period of some hours between (the "nona gathe" or neutral period) being a time where one is expected to refrain from all types of work and instead engage solely in relaxing religious activities and traditional games. During the New Year, festivities both children and adults will often don traditional outfits. But the clothes must be washed and very clean because it should be southam (pure). 

Religion

A Hindu temple in Colombo

Sri Lanka's culture also revolves around religion. The Buddhist Community of Sri Lanka Observe poya Days, which are also important days of prayers to the Hindus, once per month according to the Lunar calender. The Hindu and Muslim also observe their own holidays. Sri Lankans are very religious because the history of the island has been involved with religion numerous times. There are many Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka and many mosques, Hindu temples and churches all across the island. The religious preference of an area could be determined by the number of religious institutions in the area. The North and the East of the island has many Hindu temples and mosques because a large Tamil and Muslim population resides in those areas. Many churches could be found along the southern coast line because many living in those areas are Roman catholic or protestant. The interior of the island is mostly the Buddhist population and there are many Buddhists residing in all parts of the island because they are the largest religious group in Sri Lanka.

Handicraft culture

Sri Lanka has a heritage of handicrafts. All crafts are made by hand. These handicrafts include weaving cloth, making baskets, leather items, pottery,    Jewellery, wood work, Brass work and masks etc. our handicrafts are an important part of the crafts traditional of our country. We must protect and maintain the flower of our heritage so that they don’t disappear with time.

Oil lamp

 

Ealier these crafts were a part of our day to day life. Even today they play a role. For Example – we light the oil lamp when we start some new venture. The lamp has niches for nine wicks. These are meant to be for the ‘NAVAGRAHA’. The traditional lamp had a rooster at the top. This is now sometimes replaced with other symbols. So tradition is continued with change

Wood carving

Wood carving in the Kandyan  Rerion was originally associated with architecture. Wooden pillars, roofs, doors, windows, door-bolts and even wooden bridges were all decorated with finely Carvad desighns. Modern art a facts are produced without prejudice to the traditional styles of carving. The creations of the present generation include many beautiful objects of art such as trays, wall plaques and figurines both secular

 Pottery

Pots are made of clay. Pottery is a living craft that relates very much to the life of Sri Lankans. Small votive lamps, graceful water jugs, decorative ornaments and various cooking vessels of clay are very popular among people. Even though there are many new ideas in this field, many potters still employ traditional methods.

                 Most of the pottery is made on a rotating disk that the potter keeps turning. It’s called a potter’s wheel. It is a fast turning wheel. A lump of clay is placed on this wheel and then the potter forms a pot by turning the lump of clay. Decoration to the pot is done by incising patterns of stamping with dyes while the Clay is still wet. Most pots are fired in a primitive kiln built of bricks or stones. It is covered with a wattle and daub roof.

                 Pottery is now used mostly for decoration. Saucepans have replaced the clay pot in most homes.

Dumbara  mats

Mat - weavers of Henawela in the Kandy District practice a singular style of mat weaving using A locally grown hemp known as "Hana".  The fiber extracted from the leaf of this plant is processed and dyed to enable the weaving of colorful mats and wall hangings. These are gaily decorated with stylized floral, animal and geometrical patterns preserved through generations of craftsmen. The new generation of craftsmen also produce cushion covers, hand bags, shopping bags, letter holders, fans, screens etc to meet the demands of the contemporary society mostly using the same traditional designs and motifs. 

Brass, Silver and Mixed Metal Work

The best exponents of the art of brass work are in the Kandy and Matale districts. The variety of items produced display a unique cultural identity. Other than the traditional items such as oil lamps, trays, bowls vases, spittoons etc among the recent additions are ash trays, mirror frames, serviette rings, letter openers and letter holders. Silver is used in making expensive utility objects like jewellery.  Jewellery - boxes, tea - sets, trays, bottle - openers, candle - holders and various cutlery items such as spoons, bowls etc. Articles made of copper and brass are also plated with silver or gold or anodized to prevent tar noshing and to eliminate the need for regular polishing.

Kandyan  Jewellery

Kandyan Jewellery, once worn by both men and women carry a complete range of head to foot ornaments. Men usually wore chains, pendants, waist chains and rings and women wore earrings chains bracelets and rings etc. A bride dressed in the traditional Kandyan costume bedecked with the full array of jewellery presents a beautiful sight which is the dream of every Sri Lanka bride groom. Kandyan  jewellery is unique in style and design and bear the half mark of traditional Kandyan master craftsmen.