Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c7.95

c7.95

The festival concluded with one of the principal ceremonies, the *diyakepīma* or ‘cutting of water.’ The last evening procession proceeded to the customary ferry (*diyakepum-tota*),† and the Kapuralas going in a richly-decorated boat to the middle of the stream, cut the water at dawn with the *ran-kaduva*, or golden sword. At the same moment the golden goglet (*ran-keṇḍiya*) which was filled with water at the last year’s ceremony was emptied into the river, and re-filled with the very water cut by the sword. The Kapurala then recited an *aṣṭaka*, and the *Jaya-maṅgala gathas* from the *pirit* book, after which the insignia and vessel of water were taken back to the dēvāle, to remain there till the next year. After the *perahera*, the officers and tenants taking part in it, as well as the elephants, took part in ceremonies for the conciliation of the lesser divinities and evil spirits; these were called *balibat-garayakun* and *valiyakun-neṭima*.