Power people. Sri Lanka
The surroundings of the Bakhiravakand hill are not much different from the neighboring areas: the same tea plantations, rice fields and modest shackles. But only residents here believe in the existence of 18 demons causing 18 ailments of a person … One of the demons – the cause of a runny nose, the other – the cholera, the third – vomiting, the fourth causes paralysis … The local priests of Katatadia expelled their ceremonies devote their ceremonies ..
52-year-old Kusumuvati – the victim of not one demon, and at once a few. So consider everything in the district. At some point she stopped noticing what happens around, as if dropping out of reality. Three years ago her husband died. From what – no one knows. How to stay Kusumuvati alone, melting starts literally in front of his eyes. Brother seems to be put in her Peta – the spirit of the deceased. Need to commit a ritual to Tovil – expel spirits.
From ancient times, a special caste of the priests of Catatadiev engaged in rescue demons, which, in local beliefs, communicate directly with the spirits of the Earth and, accordingly, should work on Earth. Such and priest Gunatilak – seemingly ordinary peasant, cultivating rice fields. Says that the land helps him – gives the strength to recover after rites.
Ceremony Tookil
Toville is one of the most revered ceremonies, and her holding always causes great curiosity, mixed with fear. It is believed that the more people came to see, the greater the probability of healing.
In the pagan sanctuary, there is a preparation for the ceremony. One of the elements of the upcoming sacrament will be the sacrifice of the black chicken. It will be done here late in the evening when the moon and the border between the world and the world of people will become the most thin.
Toville ceremony is one of the most complex and time-consuming. And involved in preparing it a lot of people. Everyone is responsible for its plot of work: one is engaged in the preparation of the altar, the other is preparing to offer to the gods and demons. Each such an offer is a real work of art, colossal labor for the sake of one single ceremony. Decorations make a tree and palm leaves. The priests thus try to distract the attention of the demon, to deceive him and pull out the patient out of the body, to then attribute his invisible spirit in the cemetery – to the coniferous demons. Other offering – gods and buddha.
The ceremony begins with the onset of the night when lights and torches lights light up. Gongatilaka causes some incomprehensible lines similar to the pentagram. This is a magical protective pattern – a cage for a boat, an evil demon. He steals our souls at night. If it is not pacified in time, then you can pay your health. Figure Magic: a demon who appeared at night, hide into a vessel, and the drawing will not give it to go out.
Judging by the schedule on the wall, the ceremony lasts from 8 pm to 4 am. But in fact, how the rite will pass – it depends on the force of manifestation of demons, it is impossible to predict it. The main thing – before the beginning of the ceremony, we should have a special armor to protect against the penetration of dark perfume patients into the body of the priests-healers. The next step is to configure the ritual drums in the desired tonality that will accompany the challenge of the demon. On the beginning of the ritual heralds the sound of the sea shell, who calls the gods to help Prience Gongatilak.
The same sound serves as a signal from the beginning of the ceremony not only for the crowd of the gathered zoo, but also for the patient itself. Woman goes to Tovil when twilight thickened over the province of Candy. On the spot it meets Lilavati, the wife of the priest, on whose shoulders is moral support for the patient. For anything can happen. According to her, there were cases when the patient began to go to the temple began to grow out, break out, run away into the darkness, led by his demons.
Disrupt at least one of the elements of the rite – it means to swap a demon or call it. That is why Priesta Gongatilaka himself sets the rhythm of each melody that appears to otherworldly. The first revelation occurs in about half an hour after the start. Kusumuvati unexpectedly begins to cry, closing in ecstasy.
Son of Catatadia continues to read the mantra, spelling evil spirits let go of a woman, free her body. Priest turns to the Buddha and the god of destruction of Shiva so that they stand up for the sick and gave her strength to free themselves from demons. Woman climbs in white savage – spirit cleanliness symbol.
Among the peasants living below the poverty line, appeal to pagan rituals replaces traditional medicine inaccessible to most. Dear Drugs, extremely few doctors, and those that are, do not use such authority as cattadias with their spectacular and even shocking ceremonies. Here they believe that the demons are hunting for people in moments of despondency. In local beliefs, the sad man defective, so the evil spirits will not be difficult to enslave.
The process of cleansing occurs under the sounds of a new spell. Woman should cross seven symbolic traits. Only then will be released from the otherworld. The priest uses as a kind of antiseptic from the unclean strength lemon. And special ritual pliers pulls out of the head of the invisible demons from the head – the reason for her headaches and insomnia, and so seven times.
Ritual goes into the second phase. Accompanied by the Son of the Priest and the Crowd of Zewak Kusumuvati approaching the sanctuary built specifically for her. Now the most terrible and frightening rite will begin – a conversation with demons.
The mediator in this conversation is the assistant of the priest – Ekidur (on Singhal – "talking with demons"). To enter into a dialogue with evil forces may exclusively: on local superstitions, women – conductors of bad energies in the world of people.
Crack for communication with the otherworldly mirket sets the ritual battle of the repetition itself. Son is connected to him, singing a special mantra dedicated to the release of the demon. Talking with demons swaying into the beat of the drums until it flows into an exhaustible state. She is trying to come into contact with the other world. From the outside it seems that she manages it. Especially Zemak is impressive when "talking" falls and begins to laugh and shout as if not his voice. Even if it is only part of the show, calculated from ancient times to impressionable peasants who believe in the spirits, the level of immersion in the image causes admiration.
Finally, the senior priest stops the restlessness and orders the demon to leave the body. Demons, as always, want to deal – the priests should sprinkle with blood offering the spirits of the Earth and bring the victim to them in their abode. On the altar, black chicken and coconut. Ritual dance with a sword symbolizes the upcoming sacrifice. For the task of the spirits, several drops of blood, which the priest son carefully takes from the wing of the bird and refers to the altar. True, the torment of the bird’s victim does not end. Gongatilak and his assistant, "talking with demons", have to commit another wild ritual.
Woman in red dancing with chicken in the teeth around the sitting patient. She accompanies Cathadia. But, as it turns out, this is not the most ominous part of the ceremony. About 2 o’clock in the morning, priest gives a sign that it is time to go to the symbolic funeral of the demon for the same that there is a real cemetery!
In this cracked procession with lanterns, exclusively men participate. Women and children stay near the sanctuary. Among them and Kusumuvati, which seems to be stunned. Yes, and not surprisingly – the ceremony lasts for as many as six hours.
Meanwhile, at the cemetery, the priest falls on the grave. It is prepared in advance as a trap for evil spirit. Catatadia pronounces the Mantra spell, lying on the grave with a hand-squeezed in his fist, after which it squeezes it and sprinkles with something like a gunpower, which lies on his chest.
The next morning the village wakes up as if nothing had happened. Cathadia goes back to work in the field.
According to some information, every second resident of Candy Province appeals to local priests. All of them are convinced that the healing effect of sinister rituals feel.
