Diya Kepeema (Water-Cutting Ceremony)

Closing the Season

The Kandy Esala Perahera ends with a ritual that goes back to its roots as a rain-making ceremony: the Diya Kepeema, "the cutting of the water". In the early hours of the morning after the final Randoli night, the priests of the four devales travel to the Mahaweli River at Getambe, on the edge of Kandy, and perform the ritual at the water's edge. A Day Perahera follows in the afternoon.

The Rite

The ceremony is performed by the Kapurala, the priest of the devale, or his acolyte. In the account of Sir John Davy, the devale processions arrive at the river, the water in the golden goblets is thrown away, the priest cuts the water with a golden sword, and acolytes dip fresh water into the goblets and carry it back to the shrines. The Sunday Times describes the ritual as one in which the water is "struck or slashed" with a sword.

Accounts of how the rite was performed differ in detail. In the 17th century the English captive Robert Knox wrote that "just at the hour of the full moon they ride unto the river and fill a container with water, which is kept till the year after and then flung away". In the early 19th century, the British surgeon Sir John Davy described decorated boats at the Gannoruwa ferry and an acolyte with a golden sword. One writer notes that the ceremony is now held a little way from the old Gannoruwa site, at Getambe.

Why Water?

The festival is named for Esala, and the ceremony's roots are in a rite to ask the gods for sufficient rain. That origin is also why the temple's chief lay custodian is called the Diyawadana Nilame, from diya, water. The cutting of the water at the end of the festival renews the connection between the shrines and the river, and prays for good rains in the coming year.

Where to See It

The Diya Kepeema is held in the small hours near the ferry at Getambe, a short drive from the centre of Kandy. The Day Perahera in the afternoon is a daytime procession.

Visitor Tips

The ceremony starts before dawn and is a religious rite, not a performance: arrive early, keep your distance from the priests and the water's edge, and follow the instructions of the organisers. The day procession is a good alternative if you prefer daylight.