Poruwa Ceremony

In celebration of Devinie's Sri Lankan culture, we are excited to be having a traditional poruwa wedding ceremony prior to our vows.

The poruwa is the decorated platform that the ceremony takes place on. It represents the house that the couple will share and symbolises their marriage and their new life together.

The poruwa ceremony is associated with Sri Lankan Buddhists, although it appears to have existed in Sri Lanka before the introduction of Buddhism in the 3rd century BCE. An early Buddhist example is the decorated granite poruwa, in the Magul Maha Vihara (Temple of the Great Wedding) at Lahugala. The temple is thought to have been built in the 2nd century BCE to celebrate the marriage of King Kawantissa of Ruhuna and Vihara Maha Devi, the parents of the well-known Sinhala King Dutugemunu (161-137 BCE).

Many rituals and traditions which are symbolic and sacred are included in the poruwa ceremony and each one is conducted due to a specific belief. The ashtaka (narrator) recites religious chants throughout the ceremony.

Though there are some variations in practice, a typical poruwa ceremony may proceed as follows:

1. The bride and the groom and their families are led to the poruwa by a procession of Kandyan dancers and drummers at an auspicious time for the couple, as determined by an astrologer.

2. The groom and his family gather at the right side of the poruwa, while the bride and her family gather at the left side.

2. The couple ascend the poruwa, guided by their fathers, with their right foot first. They greet each other with palms held together to the sound of a conch shell.

3. The shilpadhipathi (master of ceremonies) presents a collection of betel leaves to them, which they accept and give back to him, a symbolic offering to the gods.

4. The couple are offered betel leaves and coins, which are then dropped onto the poruwa seven times to honour seven generations of relatives of both families.

5. The couple exchange rings followed by the groom gifting a necklace to the bride to symbolise a promise to protect and care for her.

6. The bride's uncle ties the little fingers of the couple with a blessed thread (pirith nool) to symbolise their union of marriage.

7. The bride's father pours water over the bound fingers – water and earth being eternal; the water poured and the earth on which it falls is the lasting witnesses to the marriage.

8. The groom presents a length of white cloth that is 32 riyan (about 16m) in length to the bride, which she, in turn, gives to her mother.

9. The bride's mother offers kirribath (milk rice) to the couple. The groom's mother offers a glass of milk as a symbol of prosperity – these elements signify that the couple starts their new life together with the blessings of their mothers.

10. A traditional Buddhist chant (the Jayamangala Gatha) that depicts stories of wisdom and compassion is sung as a blessing to the couple.

11. A member of the groom's family breaks a fresh coconut to bless the marriage.

12. The couple then light the traditional Sri Lankan oil lamp; light being a symbol of wisdom and to signify the start of a bright new future together.