Devinuwara Esala Fair

The divine blessing for the whole down south, the Grand Devinuwara Esala festival continues for seven days in a vibrant manner. After the final Maha Perahera (Grand Procession) the Esala Fair starts in the next day and continues for another seven consecutive days. Since the past, there have been many large scale trade fairs associated with the temple processions throught the world, irrespective of their religious affliction.
In the trade fair associated with “Devinuwara Sri Vishnu temple” goods varying from general household utensils to different Sweet delicacies are sold in a large number of stalls. Among the sweets present in this fair a sweet that is uniquely and essentially found here is the “Kaha Walalu” literally meaning yellow bangles. Many people coming from afar and near to worship the Devinuwara temple make a habit of buying these Kaha Walalu, especially children love this sweet.

People coming from Matara or other close by areas to watch the Procession or to make offerings at the temple come to the trade fair after the end of their religious observations to buy some long lasting household goods or some fancy items. The fancy items like glass bangles and the sweets like candy floss and treacle “Boondi” are specially favored by youths and children alike.
According to our findings it became clear that decades ago parents would buy their children a toy kitchen utensil set from this fair as a customary thing. During the recent times Devinuwara fair commences after the procession days, but during the ‘50s and before the ‘50s the fair commenced during the procession days itself but after the ceremonies at the temple. R.L. Brohier
has given a vivid description about the so called “Dondra fair” during ‘50s in his book “The Seeing Ceylon”

“After the procession has gone to the temple, young and old alike goes to the carnival and have some fun. Going through the long but temporal stalls of this fair they buy cloths, fancy goods, brass and copperware. There are candy stores, Sherbet, soft drink and tea shops also. Ferris wheel rotates like it cannot withstand the weight it is holding by making a murmuring sound.
Merry Go Round rotes while onlookers gather and wait around it till their turn. Band music is emitted from it and the riders on wood horses go up, down and round the Merry Go Round. Although everyone wished to have maximum fun at the Carnival, there was no pushing’s or agog
among the crowd… This is how the festival season of this small town…” (Extracted from seeing Ceylon by R.L. Brohier)

Form this picturesque description by Mr. Brohier it is clear that Devinuwara fair was not just a fair with trading stalls in the past it was a Carnival where people enjoyed for the fullest. Another special feature in the Devinuwara fair was the Bike riding at the Well of Death (also called Wall of Death and Motordrome). Devinuwara, the place where the birth of Esala festival occurred also gave birth to this act of enjoyment.

During the 1940’s a wooden Well of Death was brought to Sri Lanka for the first time by an Indian called Mr. Kannayiya Lal. A youth from the Ginthota close to Galle called K.G. Bennett went to see this bike stunt performance and fell on love with it. His Passion became so strong for this stunt that he firmly determined to start this dangerous act of bike riding in Well of Death in Sri Lanka. Digging a huge crater and fastening the crater walls with brick in the grounds behind the Devinuwara temple he started to practice this stunt. Bennett had 2 Villiers and Belton Motorbikes and by using them he made the Devinuwara fair his theatre to perform the bike stunt. Hundreds of people rushed to Devinuwara during Esala festival season to witness this terrific Bike riding at the Well of Death. Soon Benett was joined with his wife Wineetha Padmini at the Well of Death. This husband and Wife pair were the pioneers of this stunt in Sri Lanka. Even today as a family tradition the third child daughter of this two Monica Bennett continues the bike riding at Well of Death. She has started to perform this stunt during the time her father was performing the event.

Mr. Nandana Hemasiri of Devinuwara still remembers this dangerous bike riding event at Devinuwara. He also remembers the delicacies like “Godamba Rotti” made in Devinuwara fair. Up until 1977 Devinuwara fair was held on both lands the temple grounds just behind the Vishnu Temple (Palliyawatte) and the land other side to the Main Road (Kopiyawatte). During these old days Devinuwara fair was made up of huts thatched with Palm leaves. After the 1977 Fair is only held in ‘Kopiyawatte’, it is now called as the Devinuwara Public Ground. Divisional Secretariat office of Devinuwara organizes the trade fair event. It is customary to worship the Vishnu temple before the commencing of organizing activities in the Devinuwara trade fair. Since 22/03/1977 the Kopiyawatte land where this fair is held belongs to the government and managed by the Divisional Secretariat office. A Tender procedure is established by this office to sell all the stalls in the trade fair. The revenue from the fair is taken by the Divisional Secretariat office and 12% of this revenue is offered to the Buddhist and Vishnu Temple.