Dance has always been an important soul of ceremony, rituals, celebrations, and entertainment well before the earliest of human civilizations. The Ves dance is more than just a ritual. It is a sacred recitation for protection against misfortunes. Hence, the Wes dancer's costume is also considered sacred.
There is something intensely thrilling in the movements of the Wes dancer. The bracelets on his feet and the quivering ornaments on his headdress create the most rhythmic tinkling accompanied by the sound of drums. It is performed in a purification ceremony known as the Kohomba Kankariya.
Vidura College, Thalawathugoda, will be holding its Wes and Pahim Path Ceremony at the Kotte Rajama Viharaya on February 6 at 6.45 am. 43 students: 14 boys and 29 girls will be taking part in the event. The founder Principal of the School D G Sumanasekara and Chairman Ajith Cabraal will grace the event. Renowned dance experts in the field will attend the event and confer Wes to the dancers.
This is the second time that the school will be holding the ceremony. They held their first Wes ceremony around three years ago at Egoda Kelaniya Rajama Viharaya.
“The Wes and Pahim Path Ceremony is known as the graduation of a dancer. Once they have taken part in the ceremony we known that they have excelled in their field. It marks the part of a dancer’s duty of taking the tradition forward,” teacher in charge of dancing for the Vidura College group Dinesh Epasinghe said.
The school had held dance shows before. One memorable item was titled ‘Dalada Varuna’ and showcased the items found in the perehara on stage.
A series of dance items will be showcased at this year’s event. One such item is the Kohomba Yak Kankariya.
This is a dance item related to the Kohomba Kankariya ritual. Mangalam, Deva Aradanava, Kothala Padaya, and Dummala Padaya are some of the other dance items.
“This is an opportunity for dancers to showcase their skills.
We have divided them the students into two groups. One group will be presenting a traditional dance to the verses in the Matuposaka Jataka while the other will be doing a presentation based on the accessories related to the Wes costume,” Epasinghe explained.
He noted that the founder Principal of the School D G Sumanasekara has been very supportive towards the event.
He wished to thank all the sectional heads, staff, students and parents for their help in making the event a reality.
“We hope to stage a show comprising of new and innovative dance items in the future,” he concluded.
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