Browsing by Author "Tilakaratna, W. M. D. A. L. B."

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Embodiment of soft power within goddess Paththini: Cultural heritage of the Porapol folk game
(Centre for Heritage Studies, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2019) Tilakaratna, W. M. D. A. L. B.; Weerakkody, S.; Sri Palitha, G. A. C.
The Goddess Paththini plays a significant role within the Sri Lankan Sinhala Buddhist folk community. As the only female deity worshipped by the Sinhala Buddhists, she is thought of as the bringer of prosperity. Thus, wellbeing and numerous rituals and rites of passage are associated with Goddess Paththini. One such ritual is the folk game Porapol. The research area focuses on the Durawa caste of the Mirissa village of the Matara District. Field visits and observations were the main methods of collecting data. The aim of this research is to study how the folk game Porapol bridges the gap between villagers of the same village due to the caste system. There are many sub rituals and activities connected with Porapol such as Kodi Perahera, Peli Perahera and Kolam Kala Eli Baseema. A striking feature of this ritual is the sub culture that is formed within the villagers for a time period before the rituals that promotes a strong concept of self-discipline through abstinence, preventing killing animals and such activities that are thought to be looked down upon by the Goddess. While only the males participate in the folk game itself, all members of the village participate in all other sub rituals. It can be seen that the castes of Rajaka, Govigama and Nakathi contribute actively to the affairs related to the rituals of Porapol as equals along with the Durawa caste. There is also a widespread exchange of caste based knowledge due to this diversity and harmony. Porapol, which centralizes on the idea of worshipping Goddess Paththini to get her blessings for the activities of all those who participate in the rituals is concluded by a series of Kolammadu and Gammadu that bring out the qualities of empathy and social integration.
Heritage as a soft power: The effect of Pasan and Vyakûla Piransangam during the lent season of the Sri Lankan Catholic community
(Centre for Heritage Studies, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2019) Weerakkody, I. S.; Tilakaratna, W. M. D. A. L. B.; Sri Palitha, G.A. C
The Catholic community of Sri Lanka have distinct cultural practices based on whether they are Sinhalese or Tamil by race. This research focuses on the villages of Doowa, Pitipana, Munnakkarei in the Gampaha District and Pesalei in the Mannar District. It can be seen that the mental and physical pressure of the pain, death and loss of Jesus Christ impacts the cultural activities of various communities in various forms and environments. Thus, a distinct form of expressing grief as chants, prose singing and dramas have been adopted by communities throughout the ages. These are centralized on the pain the living person or community faces due to the loss, and the nature of the loss of one of their own through wailing as an outlet. The objectives of this research are to study the cultural diversity of the Sinhalese and Tamil Catholic communities of these areas, to investigate how these communities exchange their ideas and share their views and to study how Pasan and Vyakûla Pirasangam lead to coexistence and development of cultural thought. The research methodology used here were case studies while in depth interviews and observation were used to gather data. It was observed that the Sinhalese and Tamil Catholic communities of these areas use Pasan chanting and Vyakûla Pirasangam as a method of catharsis during the Lent season respectively. These however are not done individually but rather in groups, within the community itself and cross communities, thereby bridging the gaps formed by the competition between villages and the rifts between castes and races. The idea that the torture and death of another brings grief to many is prominently projected here and is embedded into the minds of everyone in the community when participating in the cultural activities of the Lent season.