A comparison of emerging concepts of male and female productivity: Modern scientific advancements and ritual based enactments

Abstract

It is apparent that the modern technology is capable of addressing the issue of infertility among young males and females through its scientific and technological advancements for a period of time. Variety of devices have been introduced to measure and monitor effects and results. While some are of the opinion that the deficiency in male and female productivity is a matter of irregular food pattern and the stress, some argue that it is genetic. Despite the fact that modern scientific reviews have observed the particular problem has much broader perspectives. The established concepts of the contemporary Sri Lankan society was unfavorable for female and it is believed that women is heretically barren. Contrary to this ideological behavior, so-called contemporary Sri Lankan society has applied a number of treatments to overcome infertility of males by enacting certain ritual practices and prescribing some herbal treatments to males in particular. Kapuyakkariya, a ritual enactment performed in the Ratayakuma or Riddi Yagaya by the village priest, clearly demonstrates the values and effective steps that has been undertaken to enhance the productivity of males. The significance of the act is that it is performed precisely after the Nanumuraya or the Dolaha Pelapaliya, a ritual enactment that takes place as means of alleviating the barrenness of female. The village priest, by his ritual chants, sanctifies the sickened person (aturaya) through Kapuyakkariya, and provides grounds to strengthen the ability of productivity. The two enactments together proves that the contemporary Sri Lankan society has addressed the issue of productivity of males and females that which has been attended by the modern scientists with a variety of scientific tools. Therefore, the present study examines and compares the effectiveness of the two treatment patterns to achieve the same expectation. The study will follow a literary survey of historical facts in respect of the cult of fertility and the rituals connected with it along with some case studies done on scientific measures to eliminate the infertility in males and females