Pahatharata Dance

Pahatharata Dance

Shanthikarma
Three different types of rituals (shanthikarma) can be found in the Low Country tradition of dance—the madu shanthikarma, bali shanthikarma and thovil shanthikarma. The madu shanthikarma are performed to venerate the gods—of these rituals the gammaduwa, a ritual devoted to the Goddess Pattini, is the most famous. The bali shanthikarma are rituals which are performed to ward off  the negative effects on people’s lives, caused by planetary movements (graha apala). On the other hand, thovil shanthikarma rituals are performed to ward off demons and evil spirits from an individual or place.

Three different types of rituals (shanthikarma) can be found in the Low Country tradition of dance—the madu shanthikarma, bali shanthikarma and thovil shanthikarma. The madu shanthikarma are performed to venerate the gods—of these rituals the gammaduwa, a ritual devoted to the Goddess Pattini, is the most famous. The bali shanthikarma are rituals which are performed to ward off  the negative effects on people’s lives, caused by planetary movements (graha apala). On the other hand, thovil shanthikarma rituals are performed to ward off demons and evil spirits from an individual or place.

Dances in Sri Lanka states that of the thovil shanthikarma, the daha ata sanniya is the most famous. These are exorcist ritual performances, and each sanni depicts an incurable disease or ailment, and a different mask is worn by the dancers to represent each one. According to beliefs found in the Pre-Buddhist folk religion of Sri Lanka, these ailments are said to be the work of sanni yakku (devils) and can only be healed by invoking the devil responsible for each ailment and appeasing it with offerings. The different masks of the daha ata sanniya are carved out of wood and depict the craftsman’s visual conception of each ailment. For example, kana sanniya (blindness) is represented by a mask that has an expressionless face with vacant eyes.