August 18, 2005
My journey is winding down. It's now the 18th of August here, and I head home on the 21st...still nursing my sunburn.
My itinerary has always been to end my trip in Kandy, the ancient city of the hill country, and the last bastion of traditional Sri Lankan culture to fall to the British. For more than 300 years, the Kandian Kingdom fought off the Dutch and then the British before finally being subjugated. Since they were able to remain out of the hands of British control until the mid 1800's, they have retained many of the old dances and customs, including a very strong belief in Buddhism. In fact this is considered the capital of culture and the Buddhist religion in the country. The monks carry great political sway in laws and policies of the Sinhalese. (We won't discuss the assasination of a Prime Minister by a Monk for what he thought was jeopardizing the future of Buddhism in Sri Lanka). Trust me, they are very serious about protecting their buddhist heritage.
And with some good reason...For at least 1500 years south India (Chola / Tamil) have been making "sorties" into the north of Sri Lanka trying to usurp the island and for 1500 years the Sinhalese people have been fighting them off. However, with each incursion, many Tamils (a branch of Hinduism) have stayed. (As well as the British created a Tamil Diaspora from Southern India, throughout all the British colonies, including Sri Lanka, for exploitation as cheap labor). So now in the North they have a long, rich, and developed history. Sometime in the 1970's, the Northern Tamil voice grew louder; they wanted some say in their government. Fair enough, but things got real ugly...let just say it is actually the LTTE (Tamil "freedom" fighters), which is recognized as the creator of the "suicide bomber" and not the Palestinians, who merely thought it was a good idea and adopted the tactic. Are you getting the picture that this war is no easy "cease-fire agreement?" (Since writing this entry, the war has officially ended).
So the Foreign Minister that was just assassinated was 1 of the 3 remaining moderate Tamils sitting on the parliament, and he was actually lobbying the U.N. to classify the LTTE as terrorists and to list them as one of the armies forcing children to fight...not a safe move. Another friend just told me that the country was now under marshall law...honestly I couldn't tell the difference, there's been loads of security the whole time I've been here. No one seems the least bit concerned, so really neither am I, (and nor should you be...;)
So back to Kandy. Liam (remember the mad Englishman?) and I have met up again. It's his B-Day today, so I'm off to surprise him with a present after this entry...We are staying in a bit of a dingy guest house with an amazing balcony overlooking the Temple of the Buddha's Tooth. Ground zero for the Pera Hera celebrations underway. And we're paying for our location during the festival...the room which is normally US $5 a night is now $40! Quite a mark up. But when a city of 100,000 or so doubles in size, you can name your price! The crowds (and the security) are unimaginable! For the 10 day festival people are camping out daily to stake out their seats, sidewalk crowds are daunting at 20 people thick, with roadside seats being sold at US$50! (That's a hell of a lot of money here, probably equal to US$500!) And perhaps 1000 Bikkhus (Theravadan Monks) are watching from the front rows (comps of course).
So each night celebration begins with an hour of chanting in the temple, then a cannon goes off to mark the beginning of the procession. About 10 young men lead the march all thunderously cracking 8 to 10 foot whips. They're followed by the fire jugglers, (for those in the know, picture "Burning Man", 300 years ago!?) Some are spinning kerosene drenched iron balls around their necks like hula-hoops, only from a distance you can't see the chains and they look like orbiting comets. Others are dancing with 2 fiery orbs suspended from chains, while still others have fire wheels spinning around their heads like halos which are then tossed high into the air twirling, dropping, then caught. Really impressive, especially when some of them were doing these acts while on stilts or balancing on someone's shoulders!
After the fire line come the drummers, the flutists, and the stick-clapping groups, each busting out their own little choreographed dance, that has been past down through countless generations. There are familiar looking "may-pole" dancers (like what you would see in medieval Europe or Mexico) and very unusual regal dancers, dripping in interconnected silver medallions wearing the oddest hats?! Picture a red dunce cap with a moving whip coming out the top, the front bill looks like a silver fan, then stick 2 silver mickey mouse ears on the side, and there you have it, tres chic! Actually it was amazing to watch them bellowing their chants and prancing about colorfully animated, like male peacocks!
Do you like elephants? Well I've never seen so many in my life! All dressed up in their Sunday best. Some with sequins or mylar, others with blinking christmas lights, (They cleverly disguised, then balanced car batteries on the Elephants heads to power the light show!)
Every once and a while a VIP, dripping in gold threads, literally from head to toes, (very asian pimp!), accompanied by a circle of (body guards?) servants would stroll solemnly by...
It was over the top grandiosity and pomp~! A true spectacle and really wonderful. The highlight was a big Tusker flanked by two slightly smaller but still stately male elephants balancing the Buddha's tooth reliquary on it's back and marching down the streets.
The whole event went on for hours and hours. At times I could hear the street symphony of noises to my front, sides, and behind me, creating an intoxicating whirlwind of sound as the procession extended through the city.
To my surprise, one of the local Tamil Hindu temples had a place in the parade? This was a temple to Kataragama, (Skanda / Maruga) so that meant what...? More hooks! This time the young men were all color coordinated in red pants, with a red clad elephant leading the way, carrying 8 foot lances, chanting, singing, and dragging along their "drivers" down the streets by the hooks through their backs!
I asked about the Tamil presence in what is considered the most sacred and important Buddhist (and thus also political) festival in the country. I was told it was done as a sign of religious inclusiveness and tolerance.
I thought that was pretty cool.
Two more nights and one more day till the festival is over...wonder what's in store?!
My journey is winding down. It's now the 18th of August here, and I head home on the 21st...still nursing my sunburn.
My itinerary has always been to end my trip in Kandy, the ancient city of the hill country, and the last bastion of traditional Sri Lankan culture to fall to the British. For more than 300 years, the Kandian Kingdom fought off the Dutch and then the British before finally being subjugated. Since they were able to remain out of the hands of British control until the mid 1800's, they have retained many of the old dances and customs, including a very strong belief in Buddhism. In fact this is considered the capital of culture and the Buddhist religion in the country. The monks carry great political sway in laws and policies of the Sinhalese. (We won't discuss the assasination of a Prime Minister by a Monk for what he thought was jeopardizing the future of Buddhism in Sri Lanka). Trust me, they are very serious about protecting their buddhist heritage.
And with some good reason...For at least 1500 years south India (Chola / Tamil) have been making "sorties" into the north of Sri Lanka trying to usurp the island and for 1500 years the Sinhalese people have been fighting them off. However, with each incursion, many Tamils (a branch of Hinduism) have stayed. (As well as the British created a Tamil Diaspora from Southern India, throughout all the British colonies, including Sri Lanka, for exploitation as cheap labor). So now in the North they have a long, rich, and developed history. Sometime in the 1970's, the Northern Tamil voice grew louder; they wanted some say in their government. Fair enough, but things got real ugly...let just say it is actually the LTTE (Tamil "freedom" fighters), which is recognized as the creator of the "suicide bomber" and not the Palestinians, who merely thought it was a good idea and adopted the tactic. Are you getting the picture that this war is no easy "cease-fire agreement?" (Since writing this entry, the war has officially ended).
So the Foreign Minister that was just assassinated was 1 of the 3 remaining moderate Tamils sitting on the parliament, and he was actually lobbying the U.N. to classify the LTTE as terrorists and to list them as one of the armies forcing children to fight...not a safe move. Another friend just told me that the country was now under marshall law...honestly I couldn't tell the difference, there's been loads of security the whole time I've been here. No one seems the least bit concerned, so really neither am I, (and nor should you be...;)
So back to Kandy. Liam (remember the mad Englishman?) and I have met up again. It's his B-Day today, so I'm off to surprise him with a present after this entry...We are staying in a bit of a dingy guest house with an amazing balcony overlooking the Temple of the Buddha's Tooth. Ground zero for the Pera Hera celebrations underway. And we're paying for our location during the festival...the room which is normally US $5 a night is now $40! Quite a mark up. But when a city of 100,000 or so doubles in size, you can name your price! The crowds (and the security) are unimaginable! For the 10 day festival people are camping out daily to stake out their seats, sidewalk crowds are daunting at 20 people thick, with roadside seats being sold at US$50! (That's a hell of a lot of money here, probably equal to US$500!) And perhaps 1000 Bikkhus (Theravadan Monks) are watching from the front rows (comps of course).
So each night celebration begins with an hour of chanting in the temple, then a cannon goes off to mark the beginning of the procession. About 10 young men lead the march all thunderously cracking 8 to 10 foot whips. They're followed by the fire jugglers, (for those in the know, picture "Burning Man", 300 years ago!?) Some are spinning kerosene drenched iron balls around their necks like hula-hoops, only from a distance you can't see the chains and they look like orbiting comets. Others are dancing with 2 fiery orbs suspended from chains, while still others have fire wheels spinning around their heads like halos which are then tossed high into the air twirling, dropping, then caught. Really impressive, especially when some of them were doing these acts while on stilts or balancing on someone's shoulders!
After the fire line come the drummers, the flutists, and the stick-clapping groups, each busting out their own little choreographed dance, that has been past down through countless generations. There are familiar looking "may-pole" dancers (like what you would see in medieval Europe or Mexico) and very unusual regal dancers, dripping in interconnected silver medallions wearing the oddest hats?! Picture a red dunce cap with a moving whip coming out the top, the front bill looks like a silver fan, then stick 2 silver mickey mouse ears on the side, and there you have it, tres chic! Actually it was amazing to watch them bellowing their chants and prancing about colorfully animated, like male peacocks!
Do you like elephants? Well I've never seen so many in my life! All dressed up in their Sunday best. Some with sequins or mylar, others with blinking christmas lights, (They cleverly disguised, then balanced car batteries on the Elephants heads to power the light show!)
Every once and a while a VIP, dripping in gold threads, literally from head to toes, (very asian pimp!), accompanied by a circle of (body guards?) servants would stroll solemnly by...
It was over the top grandiosity and pomp~! A true spectacle and really wonderful. The highlight was a big Tusker flanked by two slightly smaller but still stately male elephants balancing the Buddha's tooth reliquary on it's back and marching down the streets.
The whole event went on for hours and hours. At times I could hear the street symphony of noises to my front, sides, and behind me, creating an intoxicating whirlwind of sound as the procession extended through the city.
To my surprise, one of the local Tamil Hindu temples had a place in the parade? This was a temple to Kataragama, (Skanda / Maruga) so that meant what...? More hooks! This time the young men were all color coordinated in red pants, with a red clad elephant leading the way, carrying 8 foot lances, chanting, singing, and dragging along their "drivers" down the streets by the hooks through their backs!
I asked about the Tamil presence in what is considered the most sacred and important Buddhist (and thus also political) festival in the country. I was told it was done as a sign of religious inclusiveness and tolerance.
I thought that was pretty cool.
Two more nights and one more day till the festival is over...wonder what's in store?!
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