A sociological study on puberty rites effects on self control in Sri Lankan society

Abstract

Attain puberty is a physical and social process. It is a decisive moment of women‘s life. The girl before attain puberty is called ―Kanyawa‖ (virgin) and after it she is called ―Kanyawada‖. In that manner she has to live under socially and culturally created restrictions. The puberty rites in Sri Lankan society are given proper sexual knowledge and the self control through ―Kotahalu Yagaya‘‘ (a cultural dance which is conducted to abandon evils from newly attained girl and Kotahalu is another Sinhalese word for attain puberty). For instance the ―Gaba Uthpaththiya‖ is coming on Kotahalu yagaya has clearly revealed it. ―Thun dina athulatha rudiyara dutu thena - Kam rasa windimin satha hata leda ena In dahasaya dina daru pala dena - Min mathuwata daruwan noma upa dina‖ But present society pays less attention on this kind of traditional customs. This study attempts to identify the contribution of puberty rites on Self control and its necessity for modern society. Can puberty rites of Sri Lanka effect on Self control? Was the research problem of this study. The main objectives of this study are three fold, identify cultural value of puberty rites and its degeneration, identify the contemporary importance of rites of passage and identify the reasons for the exclusion of puberty rites from people. The proper research methodology causes to protect its accuracy and rationality. Main research methodology of this study was case study method. Interviews, participation observation were used as data collecting techniques. Books, articles, magazines were used to collect secondary data and interviews and participation observation were helped to collect primary data. The proper sexual knowledge and self control to the adolescence and society are given by puberty rites, expansion of free education, urbanization, globalization, and westernization process are directly influenced on puberty rites to degenerate from Sri Lankan Culture, Cultural practices like Yaga, Shanthi karma are gradually disappearing from society with the feeble economic strength of peasants, Low cast people like rada/Hena (who are doing Dhobi work) are not engaging with their traditional occupations can be considered the findings of this study. Conclusion: The puberty rites played major role to give a sexual knowledge and self control in a technologically poor society. But current society pays less attention to this kind of traditional customs. The puberty rites have been giving informal sexual knowledge to the young generation. Especially some restrictions are imposed by these cultural events to make self control. Finally degeneration of these cultural practices partially causes to create many social problems like unnecessary pregnancies and abortions.