Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c22.98

c22.98

We find that some *dēvāles* had tenants whose duty it was to carry these cressets on *perahera* nights. At Vallahagoḍa, for example, a ‘*pandan-allana*’ tenant had, beside other duties, to ‘carry a *pandama* supplied by himself and steeped in oil supplied by the *dēvāle* for fifteen nights of the *perahera* at Vallahagoḍa.’ Dhoby tenants (washermen) had to supply the rag balls for burning with oil in the hand cressets. Thus at Palipāna, the tenant of a *rada paṅguva* belonging to the Palipāna Vihāra had to offer to the Diva Nilame and to the *kāriya-karaṇa-rala* (bailiff) of the Maligāva soon after the New Year a white Kandyan hat each, and to supply for the *perahera* fifty rag balls called *pandan-uṇḍi*; these services were commutable for Rs. 8·80 (Lawrie’s Gazetteer, p. 686).