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Sri lanka Dances

Kandyan dances

Originally avannam (or wannam) was kind of recitation. Most vannam describe the behaviour of animals such us elephants, monkeys, rabbits, peacock, cocks, serpents etc. Later dancers have used the vannam as background song for their performance. There are 18 vannam in the kandyan dance form. Traditionally a dancer would have to leam to perporm all of these vannam before they would be gifted the ves costume. The most well known among these are the hanuma vannama (monkey ), the ukusa vannama (eagle) and the gajaga vannama (elephant).

The word vannam comes from the sinhala word vannam (descriptive praise'). Ancient sinhala texts refer to a considerable number of vannam that were only sung; later they were adapted to solo dance and music. In this kavikara maduwa ( a decorated dance arena) there were song and poetry contests.

It is said that the kavi (poetry sung to music) for the eighteen principal vannsm were composed by an old sage named ganithalankara, with the help of a Buddhist priest from the kandy tempal. The vannam were inspired by nature, history, legend, folk religion, folk art, and sacred lore, and each is composed and interpreyed in a certain mood (rasaya) or expression of sentiment. The eighteen classical vannam are,

1 gajaga wannama ( elephant )

2 thuranga wannama (horse )

3 mayura wannama ( peacock )

4 gahaka wannama ( conch shell )

5 uranga wannama ( crawling animals )

6 mussaiadi wannama (hare )

7 ukkussa wannama ( eagle )

8 wairodi wannama ( precious stone )

9 hanuma wannama ( monkey )

10 savula wannama (rooster )

11 sinharaja wannama ( lion king )

12 nayadi wannama ( cobra )