Kandyan Dancers and Drummers

The Sound of Kandy

If the elephant is the image of the Esala Perahera, the drum is its voice. The Kandyan tradition of drumming and dance, called Udarata natum ("up-country dance"), is one of Sri Lanka's principal classical dance traditions, and the perahera is its biggest annual stage. Hereditary dancers and drummers, trained from childhood, walk the whole route at a stately pace, dancing in step with the drums.

The Drum

The signature drum of the Kandyan tradition is the geta bera, a double-headed drum with a body that tapers at both ends and is played with the hands. It is distinct from the cylindrical yak bera of the low country and the davula of the Sabaragamuwa tradition. Drummers also play pipes and other instruments, and each section of the procession has its own drumming troupe (hevisi).

The festival begins in the traditional way, with magul bera wadanaya, the inaugural drumming: before any important event, ancient custom calls for the beating of auspicious drum rhythms, and at the start of the Esala Perahera this is performed at the Dalada Maligawa and at each of the four devales.

The Dance Styles

Several distinct dance styles, each with its own costume and rhythm, can be seen in the procession:

• Ves, in which the dancer wears an elaborate silver headdress and beaded costume.
• Naiyandi, a rhythmic style with its own distinctive costume.
• Udekki takes its name from the small hand drum played by the dancers themselves.
• Pantheru is danced with a tambourine-like instrument.

The Kandyan dance is thought to descend from village healing and offering rituals, notably the Kohomba Kankariya, from which its choreography and drumming come. Dances in the perahera also include animal-themed items, such as the gajaga vannama, which imitates the walk of the elephant, and the myura vannama, the peacock dance.

Meanings

Because the Esala Perahera began as a rain ritual, the archaeologist Senarath Paranavitana read its parts, from the whip-crackers to the elephants, as stages of an approaching storm: thunder, lightning and dark clouds. The drumming and the dance are the sound and the energy of that storm.

Where to See It

The dancers and drummers follow the whip-crackers and fire dancers at the head of the Maligawa section, and each devale procession has its own troupes. The stretches along Dalada Veediya and Yatinuwara Veediya are good places to see them close up. This is the loudest part of the procession.

Visitor Tips

Drumming at close range is very loud, so bring ear protection for small children. Avoid standing on the road: dancers move in wide arcs, and the barriers keep them clear. Applaud quietly, and photograph without flash.