A Social and Cultural Study of the Ritual of Kiri Poya which is Unique to the Southern Province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The 'Kiri Poya' ritual' is an annual domestic religious offering ritual based on the Esala festival, which is especially popular among the Halagama caste people live only in the areas of Ahungalla, Balapitiya, Kosgoda, Ambalangoda in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, and a folk element belonging to the regional folk culture of the south. Kiri Poya also known as ‘Shudda Poya’, ‘Sudde Poya’, and ‘Del Poya’ has been started since the reign of King MahaVijayabahu. Also, the practice of eating dairy food after Kiri Poya is called 'Joramaranava'. Ever since Kapsituwema of Ruhunu Kataragama Mahadewala, people who are devoted to this, have been performing the Kiri Poya ritual at homes in the evening of Esala Poya. Accordingly, the research problem is to investigate whether the Kiri Poya ritual is maintained according to traditional customs as a domestic religious offering ritual peculiar to the Southern Province. The primary objective was to study the sociocultural way in which the people of these regions perform the Kiri Poya ritual. Subject to the qualitative research method, the research conclusions were found by exploring the research field through participatory observation, identifying data through interviews, collecting the data, and then thoroughly analysing all the data. Accordingly, although only a few minor changes can be seen in the performance of the Kiri Poya ritual in today's society, the research concluded that the Kiri Poya ritual is continuously performed on Esala Poya Day in almost every house in these areas, giving priority to the traditional custom that has been inherited from the past.