Janet's Journal

I live in the village of Ettukala, on the outskirts of Negombo.

This week has seen a flurry of activity here with everybody keen to make their property look clean and tidy. Trees have been pruned, hedges & grass cut, and the streets cleaned. Even my landlady has had all our grass cut and taken away.

It is the Feast Day of St Sylvester, patron saint of the village, tomorrow, 28th November. The church, which is less than 100 yards away, is now festooned with white lights, the grounds have coloured lights on the trees and wall.  

Although I was here this time last year all festivals were banned due to Covid restrictions.  This year they are still very much smaller affairs than in the past.

The kodi gaha has been put up in front of the church (I can’t find a translation for this, but it is a little bit like a maypole with streamers of flags.) An elaborate gateway called a torana has been built and covered with lights and green plastic leaves. Flags adorn the streets.

Tonight’s Vespers will start the festival, bangers and fireworks will be let off from midnight and after Mass tomorrow the villagers will party.

It is now Sunday and the first Mass started at 5.30am.  As all services are broadcast over loudspeakers outside it was an early wake up call for me.  The next Mass was 7.00amattended by hundreds of people, all dressed up in their best clothes.  Many of the women in beautiful saris and girls in their fancy party dresses, the boys not to be outdone wore new shirts, trousers, and tons of gel on their hair.  At least half of the congregation were seated or standing outside in the grounds under gazebos or in the rain.

After this Mass, which was also a First Communion for some children, a long procession wound its way around the village following the statue of St Sylvester and accompanied by music, singing and the inevitable firecrackers.

Mass will be celebrated two more times this evening then by tomorrow everything will be back to normal, I think.

25 November 2020