The Nanumura Ceremony

  

The Nanumura Mangalaya, held on Wednesdays of the week, is a unique puja method among the Dalada Buddhopasthans and Buddha Pujas. It is also known as the weekly sacrifice.

Before the Nanumura festival, tea utensils are washed and cleaned. The skunk is cleaned inside and outside as well. On the day of the Nanumura festival, the Theva Bhara Lord and the lay staff bathe and clean themselves, and the Theva Bhara Theras wear new robes that are worn only on that day. The group of lay officials also wear clean new clothes.

On Wednesday morning, Katthiyana Rala prepares a bath with medicines. (He is the one who puts the alms prepared in the kitchen in pots and places them in Hema Kada and brings them to the Kathiya Barada in Udamala.) The Nanumura festival is held before the afternoon puja. At around 9.15 am, the keys are opened and the doors are opened, then the tea items are incensed and placed on the well-cleaned seat. After playing the Vata Hevisiya thrice, Lord Thevabhara prepares for the Nanumura festival. Hakgediappu chants Hakgedi three times, making the nut ring. With that, the poet Manduwa starts playing and singing. The wedding drum starts beating three times. Thetamattu is performed by performing these bathing activities symbolically performing the Buddha postures in the manner in which the living Buddha was bathed by Ananda.

After that, after playing the Aalathi pada, the Aalathi is unloaded. On that day they play Tabboruwa, Nagasingham, Udakkiya and Kaithalam. A short procession with 1,000 rounds is performed around the patha malaya of the palace where the work is held. After the end of the Nanumura festival, there is an opportunity to offer flowers for a short time. Then the doors are closed again and the Buddha Puja is performed. A short time after the Buddha Puja is done, the vessels are removed and an opportunity is provided to offer flowers once again. The doors are then locked and locked at the appointed time. In the Nanumura Mangal of Sri Dalada Palace, the special herbal recipe prepared in ancient times including sandalwood, red sandalwood, and musk is mainly used to make the bath liquid. Devotees have been coming to Sri Dalada Maliga since ancient times to get the remaining nanu juice at the end of the Nanumura Mangala, and on some Wednesdays, devotees can be seen hanging out.