Extracts from Text 3 to 6 concerning the planting of the Festival Bough and Lighting the Torch of Time

See Obeysekere p 93-106

Thus having cut the bough

Giving prime place to the Twelve Gods

Arrange the audience in two lines

And thus bless them with the bough….

!Instructions on length of bough and depth of hole and digging hole to “plant” it.)

…Cut the Festival Bough in the midst of the forest

Beat drums and sounds of the five instruments

If you do these tasks in a propitious manner

You will have auspicious happiness as long as sun ad moon last.

Shout avada and banish the effects of perjury

Strain perfumed water and bathe the bough with it

With full heart plant the bough

Bind five bunches of fruit (from palms) and tie them on the bough.

The next texts describe the birth of Vishnu and how he overcame the demons to become a Guardian Deity of Sri Lanka.