This 80-minute documentary presents an in-depth look at the famous Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
The film is arranged in six chapters:
- History of the Temple of the Tooth Relic
- Architecture, Paintings & Carvings
- Thevawa, Temple Functionaries
- Dalada Maligawa Rituals
- Perahera & Elephants
- Four Devala
This is the most complete documentary on a cultural subject in Sri Lanka that I have seen, covering all aspects of its subject, and going into a lot of detail.
The film demonstrates the remarkable Tamil influence in the last Sri Lankan kingdom, whose last four Kings were indeed Tamil by birth, and it is this which gives the period its unique position in the history of the country, representing a late efflorescence of Sri Lankan culture.
The decorative arts of this period are very rich with their characteristic floral patterns and detailed carvings, and the rituals also are very elaborate and coordinated in their scope.
The film explains many things about the yearly Procession (Perahera), which is held for 10 days leading up to the Full-Moon in July, and which is probably unsurpassed in its splendour and magnificence in the modern world.
Although not entirely successful – the production suffers from poor editing both of video and audio – it nevetherless provides such a detailed assessment of its subject as to be worth anyone’s time.
It seems to have been aimed at a Sri Lankan audience, and much that is explained will go over the heads of people new to the culture or language, which it would have been easy to translate or better present, but it would be hard to find a greater feast of Sri Lankan culture presented anywhere else, so I hope you will take the time.
Some more materials on these subjects can be found in these two Wikepedia articles:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C6A42655478C4C81
Elephant Carving
Floral Ceiling Painting
Offering a Flower
Hemamali and Dantha
Diyawadana Nilame
Elephant Procession
Possibly Related Posts:
- Tears of Gaza
- Ñāṇavīra Hamuduru
- Roots of Paradise (Sri Lanka)
- Seven Wonders of the Buddhist World
- Life and Debt
