An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous EscapeKnox, Robert
History
An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous Escape
Knox, Robert
Sri Lanka -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Sri Lanka -- Social life and customs
Next after the Gods and their Attendance, go some Thousands of Ladies
and Gentlewomen, such as are of the best sort of the Inhabitants of
the Land, arrayed in the bravest manner that their Ability can afford,
and so go hand in hand three in a row; At which time all the Beauties
on Zelone in their Bravery do go to attend upon their Gods in their
Progress about the City. Now are the Streets also all made clean,
and on both sides all along the Streets Poles stuck up with Flags
and Pennons hanging at the tops of them, and adorned with boughs and
branches of Coker Nut-Trees hanging like Fringes, and lighted Lamps
all along on both sides of the Streets, both by day and night.
Last of all, go the Commanders sent from the King to see these
Ceremonies decently performed, with their Soldiers after them. And in
this manner they ride all round about the City once by day and once
by night. This Festival lasts from the New Moon until the Full Moon.
Formerly the King himself in Person used to ride on Horseback with
all his Train before him in this Solemnity, but now he delights not
in these Shows.
Always before the Gods set out to take their Progress, they are set in
the Pagoda-Door, a good while, that the People may come to worship and
bring their Offerings unto them; during which time there are Dancers,
playing and shewing many pretty Tricks of Activity before him; To see
the which, and also to shew themselves in their Bravery, occasions
more People to resort hither, than otherwise their Zeal and Devotion
would prompt them to do.
Two or thee days before the Full Moon, each of these Gods hath a
Pallenkine carried after them to add unto their honour. In the which
there are several pieces of their superstitious relicts, and a Silver
Pot. Which just, at the hour of Full Moon they ride out unto a River,
and dip full of water, which is carried back with them into the Temple,
where it is kept till the year after and then flung away. And so the
Ceremony is ended for that year.
This Festival of the Gods taking their Progress thro the City, in
the year 1664. the King would not permit to be performed; and that
same year the Rebellion happened, but never since hath he hindred it.
At this time they have a Superstition, which lasteth six or seven days,
too foolish to write; it consists in Dancing, Singing, and Jugling. The
reason of which is, lest the eyes of the People, or the Power of
the Jacco's, or Infernal Spirits, might any ways prove prejudicial
or noisom to the aforesaid Gods in their Progress abroad. During the
Celebration of this great Festival, there are no Drums allowed to be
beaten to any particular Gods at any private Sacrifice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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