Table Of ContentPLACATING THE DEMONS
This book critically examines dominant ceremonial practices in Sri Lanka. It
presents key ideas and symbolic systems that exist to this day, in similar shapes
or in different guises. It looks at issues such as misfortunes caused by demons
(yaksa dosa), an important ceremonial practice known as the puna-yāgaya, ideas
pertaining to spirit possession, trance, and mediums. It also deals with classical
Ayurvedic theories of disease, urban ceremonial practices such as cases of the
apotheoses from demon to divinity, as well as multiple forms of Buddhist cer-
emonial practices that are part of the Sri Lankan consciousness and have found
their way into public cultural performances in Sri Lanka.
As a comprehensive volume on ceremonial practices in Sri Lanka, this work
will be useful for scholars and researchers in cultural studies, sociology, social
anthropology, and particularly those interested in myths and rituals in South
Asia.
Gananath Obeyesekere is Professor Emeritus, Department of Anthropology,
Princeton University, USA, where he has taught for 20 years. He has also taught
at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, as well as the University of Washington,
Seattle, and the University of California, San Diego. He has given public lectures
in the United States, Canada, Britain, India, China, and several places in Europe.
PLACATING THE
DEMONS
Ritual Practices among Sri Lankans
Gananath Obeyesekere
First published 2022
by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 Gananath Obeyesekere
The right of Gananath Obeyesekere to be identified as author of this
work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other
means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without
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Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record has been requested for this book
ISBN: 978-0-367-51924-7 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-55618-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-09432-6 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003094326
Typeset in Bembo
by Deanta Global Publishing Services, Chennai, India
My children Indrajit, Nalinika, and Asita
CONTENTS
Preface viii
Acknowledgments ix
1 The Sanni demons: Collective representations of disease in
Sri Lanka 1
2 On perjury: The ritual of the leopard pot 46
3 The spirits of the dead: A psycho-cultural exegesis of a case
study of an exorcism 83
4 Sorcery and premeditated murder: The canalization
of aggression 132
5 From demon to god: The apotheosis of Hūniyan 154
Index 171
PREFACE
In this work I will deal with five selected papers published during the years 1969 to
1986.1 As I write these articles I am reminded that in 2019 much of our nation has
changed politically and sociologically, especially significant being the prominent and
visible role of women in our political life. Yet much remains to be done because
while women represent at least 50 percent of the population they remain an inconse-
quential minority in Parliament and in the larger nation. The present writer can do
little to change the political situation and instead document some of the pasts of our
nation as reflected in the following selected papers. I hope my readership will find
them interesting for their own sakes not only as a documentation of the past and also
because many of the ideas and symbolic systems presented here continue to exist to
this very day in similar shapes or differing guises. Remember that the well-known
sorcery shrine in Sinigama in Southern Lanka is more popular than ever among
Sinhala people who go there to curse their enemies and sometimes more hopefully to
bring about justice, vicariously I would think, because injustice prevails in our world
more so than ever in our pasts. I hope the following papers will not only provide
glimpses of the past but also that the past will help persons to rethink and reflect upon
the present. The reader will soon notice that there is not only seriousness in the fol-
lowing accounts but also good humor and good fun and hopefully some vulgarity.
In my view, Sri Lankans had these components aplenty then and now and one hopes
they will be around in the future. I continue to believe with my friends here and
abroad that one must continue to live with both fun and seriousness exemplified in
the present series of essays that also reckons with the dark side of our lives.
Note
1 Note: Every effort has been made to contact the journals where these articles were
originally published and to obtain their permission to reproduce this material. Please
do get in touch with any enquiries or for more information regarding this.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my research assistant H. G. Dayasisira for his continuing
help especially in putting together this selection of my essays. Most of all I owe
thanks to my wife Ranjini, for sharing her deep understanding of my work, my
daughter Nalinika, my sons Indrajit and Asita, and all members of my immediate
family living abroad as well as my friends who have supported my continuing
work during these past years.
The publication process is always time consuming and difficult yet worth-
while. I wish to thank Shoma Choudhury, Anvitaa Bajaj, and all who encour-
aged and helped with this publication.
Gananath Obeyesekere
Kandy
May 2020
