Funday Times

Vesak Vesak Vesak
My parents suggested that it would be a good idea for the four of us to observe the eight precepts on Vesak full moon day. But we had other plans. I wanted to make a ‘star’ lantern. Kamani wanted to make an octagonal one. Sumana said that she would make a ‘lotus in bloom’ with the help of her uncle. Sunil would be helping his brother to make a rotating lantern, which was the most difficult of all.

We parted with our old Vesak card, so that Sunil could cut pictures to decorate his brother’s lantern. We all went to the river bank to cut the slender green variety of bamboo. Sunil cut the bamboo wading in the waters. We helped in bringing them ashore.

We brought them to our play house . But Sunil carried his stock home; and gave them to his brother. I started on my ‘star’ after cleaning the sharp side of the slender bamboo. The other two started work on their lanterns. We got wild bark for the corners of the lanterns.

Without any difficulty I made the star as it was the easiest of all lanterns. Sumana also made the star and left the difficult part of the blooming lotus for her uncle to finish. Kamani just managed to make her octagonal lantern. But Sunil never came our way as he was helping his brother with the rotating lantern.

In the meantime my mother was advising me on the benefits of observing the eight precepts. “But, how to starve after 12 noon?”, I asked. “You need not starve .You can have anything in liquid form”, my father said.

In order to encourage me my father bought me a Vesak hat. Once I wore it; Kamani got her father to buy one for her. Sumana’s uncle and Sunil’s father bought hats for them too.

If you observe the eight precepts on the Vesak full moon day I’ll get you a nice Vesak mask on the following day”, my father promised. When my friends heard this, they also got interested in the idea.

“But first let’s finish our work in making lanterns.” Kamani said. So, we finished pasting them with tissue papers. I added some tassels for the corners of the star. Kamani pasted pieces of tinfoil to decorate her lantern. Sumana used pink tissue papers to show that it was a red lotus in bloom. We all kept the lanterns in our own homes.

My mother was all the time reminding me of the merits in observing the eight precepts.“We won’t be able to play”, I protested.
“Just only one day “ my mother said.
“You play everyday. This would be a sort of rest to practice what you learn”, my father said.

Kamani decorated her octagonal lantern with frills and upon them she pasted little pieces of tinfoil.
At last the great day arrived. I got up early in the morning when the temple bell tolled.

I wore a white frock and put on a white shawl on my left shoulder and tacked it at the waist. I had a handkerchief over my left arm.
I worshipped my parents before departing to the temple with my friends Kamani and Sumana. They were also in proper attire to observe the eight precepts with me.

After chanting the stanzas to observe the eight precepts we were given a short sermon by the high priest, on how we should behave on that particular day. We hurried home to have breakfast. Mother offered me milkrice and red chilli sambol. I was given “Aluva” and milk toffees too. I ate everything sitting on a mat, spread on the floor.

After having breakfast father wanted me to listen to the Buddhist sermon which was broadcast over the radio. Kamani and Sumana were also invited to join me.

After listening to the sermon father asked me so many questions with reference to it. Some were easy to answer. But most of them were difficult. By 10 O’clock we all went to the temple again with “Buddha Pooja” trays from our homes. My mother also accompanied us.

After the religious observances we returned home for lunch. It comprised fried rice, dhal curry, fried potatoes, filled capsicum, pickle etc. For dessert my friends and I had fruit salad. We finished our lunch before 12 noon as we had observed the precept of not eating after noon.

We had a surprise after lunch. Father said that we would be going to worship at the Kelaniya temple. My parents Kamani ,Sumana and myself went, leaving Sunil behind.

He was unfortunate to miss the pilgrimage as he did not observe the eight precepts. It was about 4.30 in the afternoon when we reached the Kelaniya temple. The Dagaba of the Kelaniya temple was so huge that we were tempted to run around it. In fact forgetting our eight precepts for the day we started to play ‘Run and Catch’

My father called the three of us and ordered us to observe the five precepts then and there. Thus we were in our children’s world again.
My father bought Vesak masks for all three of us. We wore them when returning from Kelaniya.

“In vain Sunil missed the mask” Kamani said. “He should have joined us without hanging around his brother’s rotating lantern”, Sumana said.
It was all fun when returning home. We saw a lot of illuminated Vesak pandals and big lanterns.

We reached home in high spirits. I illuminated my ‘star’ lantern lighting a candle inside it. Kamani lit her octagonal lantern at the entrance to her residence. Suman illuminated the lotus in bloom at her uncle’s residence.

The three of us went to Sunil’s to watch the rotating lantern. It was rotating at a slow pace, depicting different periods of Gautama Buddha’s life. A candle was lit inside it, in a stationery position.

The Vesak sight-seers were interested in the rotating lantern. The Vesak moon shone brightly. The hare in the moon looked at us as to say “You all have done some good deeds today. Keep it up”.
by Chandrani Fernando..

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