Devil Dance

Devil dancing is performed to free a patient from evil sprits or demons. Ambalangoda is famous for devil dance. Before the dana begins coconut leaf shrines are built out side the patients house. dancers wear white cloth round their hips and red cloth round their head. Strips of palm leaves hang down from the red cloth. Dancers put on masks. The masks represent demons. There are several types of devil dance.


Devil dancing - Thovil neteema

is performed - Karanu labanawa

to free - Nidahas karannata

a patient - Rogiyek

from evil sprits or demons - Ayahapath balavega ho yakshayangen

is famous - Prasiddai

for devil dance - Thovil sadaha

Before the dana begins - Thovilaya patan gannata pera

coconut leaf shrines - Pol kola thatu

are built - Sadanu labanawa

out side the patients house - Rogiyage nivasin pita

dancers wear - Nettuwan Andinawa

white cloth - Sudu redi

round their hips - Owunge in vata

red cloth - Rathu redi

round their head - Hisa vata

Strips of palm leaves - Pol kola theeru

hang down - Pahalata vetenawa

from the red cloth - Rathu reddak

Dancers put on masks - Nattuwan paladinawa ves muhunu

The masks represent demons - Ves muhunu niyojanaya karanawa yakshayan

There are - Thibenawa

several types of devil dance - Varga rashiyak thovil