Kandy Dancers
Kandy Dancers
In addition to the famous Temple of the Tooth, another
famous attraction in Kandy are the famous Kandyan Dancers. The dance
troupes of Kandy have preserved the traditional costumes, dances, and
musical instruments of Sri Lanka. The Kandy Lake Club Dance Ensemble
presents a wonderful program that covers many of the traditional
dances. We visited their dance theater on our visit to Kandy and were
treated to 12 traditional dances, some of which are pictured here. The
program opened with the Magul Bera, the ceremonial drums. It is
an ancient Sinhala custom to begin with the drums, which are in turn
announced by the blowing of a Conch shell. After invoking the blessings
of the guardian deities of the land, the next dance, the Puja Natuma
proceeds. Girls carrying oil lamps make an offering of their dancing
skills to the gods. The third dance, the Devol Natuma, is a
dance sequence performed for general immunity from evil, as well as for
healing. Part of ceremony connected with folk religion, it is derived
from the dance forms of southern Sri Lanka. The photo to the left shows
one of the drummers who create the beat for the dancers, while the
photo to the right shows one of the Devol Natuma dancers in
action.
The next dance was the Mayura Natuma or Peacock
dance. In this dance (shown in the photo to the left) the girls depict
the graceful movements of the peacock which, according to mythology, is
the bird that transports Skanda, the War-God of Ceylon. The Skanda is
worshipped by Buddhists and Hindus alike. The fifth dance, the
Pantheru Natuma, derives its name from the primary musical
instrument, the
pantheru, which is akin to a tambourine. Rhythm is also provided
by accompanying drums. The dance itself shows Sinhala warriors on their
way to battle. The pantheru is manipulated with great skill and
dexterity by the dancers who create a series of vigorous acrobatic and
rhythmic forms. The photo to the right shows the dancers in their
warrior costumes, playing the
pantheru. Below is a video of the Panthera Natuma dance.
The sixth dance on the Kandy
Lake Dance
Club Ensemble's program was the spectacular Raksha Natuma or
Devil dance. It is a southern Sri Lanka mask dance with the raksha
or devil masks, and symbolizes the fight between a cobra and a bird.
This dance is used to exorcise demons from the possessed and is still
believed to be effective psychiatric treatment in Sri Lanka. The
following dance was the Lee Keli Natuma, a dance popular in all
parts of the country, particularly during festivals in which both male
and female dancers participate. Each dancer has two sticks and the
sound of the sticks striking each other together with those of the
accompanying drums provide the rhythm for the dancers. The photo to the
left shows the two principal figures in the Raksha Natuma.
The eighth dance on the program was the Raban, a traditional folk dance using an instrument of the same name, a small drum. It is played and wielded in a number of positions by both the male and female performers. This led into another spectacular performance, the Gini Sisila, or Fire Dance. It is a South Ceylon fire dance showing the power of charms over fire and the twenty seven devils that can trouble mankind. The absolute faith of the fire dancers protects them from the flames. This dance also includes fire-eating. I cannot place the photos to the right or left, as the program made no specific mention of the spinning acrobatics involved. Whatever the name or symbolism of this particular dance, the ability of the dancers to spin 4 saucers simultaneously on the nose and two hands was unbelievable. The photo to the left shows one of the male dancers, while the photo to the right shows the whole troupe.
The
tenth dance of the program was the Ves Natuma, the most
important dance in the Kandyan style. Ves is the traditional attire of
the Kandyan dancer. Sixty four ornaments comprise the dress and
traditionally their sheen symbolizes the rays of the sun. It takes
years of rigorous training before a dancer can achieve the status of a
fully-fledged ves dancer. The finery of the ves dancer is shown in the
photo to the left. The penultimate dance was the Kulu Natuma or
Harvest Dance. It is a traditional folk dance performed by village
damsels to celebrate a rich harvest. The dance portrays sequences from
reaping to winnowing of the grain. This is a buoyant dance providing
ample opportunities for displaying feminine grace. It is danced to the
accompaniment of light drum beats and the haunting strains of the
flute. The photo to the right shows the Kulu Natuma. The final
performance, like the first, was the Drum Orchestra, featuring five
categories of traditional instruments, which are usually played three
times a day in places of worship as a tribute to Lord Buddha. The
varying beats of the different drums blend together in perfect unison
and harmony. This music was also played in honor of royalty.
The Kandy Lake Club Dance Ensemble saved the
most
dramatic performance for last, the fire walking. The origin of fire
walking can be traced back to the epic story of the Rama and Sita.
Ravana, the King of Ceylon, had abducted the princess Sita from India.
When Rama her husband (an Indian King) regained her, she proved her
chastity during her enforced stay with Ravana by walking barefoot over
fire unhurt. The devotees who perform fire-walking seek the divine
blessings of Lord Kataragama and Goddess Pattini before they do so.
Click on the video below to see the fire walking.
