Character of Kolam Dance

  Character of Kolam Dance

 Sri lanka have more folk drama. there are kolam, nadagam... etc.  Kolam is very specially drama in Sri lanka.

Kolam dance performance is comprised of numerous episodes and diverse characters perform their roles representing the traditional rural setting of Sri Lanka in addition to their sufferings under the colonial administration.

Members of the traditional hierarchy of Sri Lankan royalty and all categories of servants appear on the stage where the Kolam dance is performed. Before the arrival of the King and Queen the Headman, Arachchi, the Chief of the district, the Mudali, King’s Guard and the soldiers make suitable arrangements on the stage for the arrival of the royalty. 

Arachchi Kolama

The Village Headman was known as Arachchi who appeared on the stage to get a count of the exact number of people gathered in the audience to welcome the royalty. Arachchi assigned the job of counting the number of people present to his clerk who happened to be a funny character and he was very keen on embarrassing his master. He kept on counting the unborn babies in the wombs of the women who were in the audience.

Finally, Arachchi orders all those who were in the audience to behave well as the royalty was about to arrive. 

Hewa Kolama

Many preparations had been done before the arrival of royalty. It is the duty of the soldiers and the King’s Guard to ensure that the roads are clean and tidy. There were many wounds on the faces of these soldiers. Kariyakaravana Rala (narrator) questioned them on what happened to their faces. The soldiers replied that they had to fight with the British soldiers at Gampola. The soldiers revealed that they used their faces as shields. Later they soaked their heads in the Kandy Lake to get some relief. The leeches found in the lake had attacked their faces enlarging the wounds. 

Gara Yaka Kolama

Gara Yaka appears on the stage to dispel the effects of evil mouth, evil eyes and thus end the Kolam Dance performance.

All the episodes of Kolam Dance were performed to the tune of the beatings of drums and the recitations of verses. The intermittent dialogue between the narrator and the characters of the episodes of Kolam Dance comprised of humorous expressions and punning on words. 

Maname Kathawa

The Kolam Dance form is didactic and a moral lesson is taught through a Buddhist Jataka Story. Danuddhara Jataka story has been enacted depicting a tragical end of Prince Maname. Prince Maname was killed by the Vedda King due to his unfaithful wife.