Kalu-kumara and his demons
Kalu-Kumara or the Black Prince is probably one of the most dreaded demons and is especially feared by women.
According to the legend, there was in ancient times a very kindly King of Anaradhapura called Puotala-rajjuruvo. His wife Queen Mutumala-bisavun was sadly childless so the King adopted as his heir his son Nilaya, by his concubine who was a laundress at the palace. His son was very intelligent and also very strong so he was nicknamed – the Huge Giant.
Before he became King in the time of his father, the country had been invaded by Panji-rajjuruvo who was a powerful king in Northern India. During this invasion 12,000 Singalese had been taken prisoner and carried back to India.
One night when the King Puotala-rajjuruvo was walking around the town he heard a woman crying. Being kindly he went to her little house to ask what the matter was. She told him she was a widow and her only two sons were among the 12,000 prisoners. The King comforted her and swore that they would be returned to her.
King Puotala-rajjuruvo had an enormous heavy walking stick that only he could lift. One day he found that it had been moved and on making enquiries found that it was his son Nilaya who had done this. King Puotala-rajjuruvo made Nilaya the chief General of his army and sent him at the head of 12,000 soldiers against Panji-rajjuruvo’s kingdom. Nilaya took his father’s huge stick as his only weapon. When they reached the North of Sri Lanka, he struck the sea with his stick and the waters parted. The army then followed him dry-shod into Southern India. They easily defeated Panji-rajjuruvo and his army and liberated their 12,000 countrymen and took 20,000 prisoners whom they took back to Sri Lanka.
Along the borders of his father’s kingdom was another kingdom inhabited only by women warriors. Nilaya in curiosity, went to this country but was surrounded by the women who all wanted him for themselves. In the scramble they pulled off his arms and legs and tore him to pieces so he died. He was reborn as a demon and took his revenge by ensuring they were all childless and he also gave them other problems. He became known as Kalu-kumara.
He can appear in many forms as a woman, ape, dog etc. Usually he is shown with a blue-black body. He wears a crown and has a cobra over each shoulder. He has huge eyes and mouth with fangs. In his mouth he has a baby which he is eating. He has four arms and hands, with a sword and a bow in his right hands and an arrow and cock in his left hands. Around his waist is another cobra. He is 4 feet tall and he rides on the ape which is between his legs. He has 32 wives whom he holds in his arms.
He is also a renowned elephant hunter.
If Kalu-kumara is suspected by the Edura of causing a woman’s problems he is made special offerings during the ceremony to free her of her afflictions. He can be responsible for menstrual and pregnancy problems, he is believed to eat unborn children. He can also disturb women with dreams in which he may appear as their lover. The Edura on diagnosing Kalu-kumara problems will organise the ceremony to include specially prepared rice cakes, rice, various curries, breadfruit, 7 kinds of salted and freshwater fish.
