A rittual to banish malefic influences?

An all-night- ‘Bali-thovil’ ceremony held at the Colombo 7 residence of a VIP recently is the main talking point in  political circles these days. 

The VIP is a lady holding a very high political office in a certain province and she is an oracle of sorts patronized by political high-ups, they say.

Earlier in the day, a lorry-load of plantain stems and bundles of tender coconut fronds had been unloaded and several kapuralas had arrived at the residence which was already a hive of activity.

Minutes before the ‘thovil’ ritual got underway with chanting of customary benedictory stanzas, invocations and tom-tom beating, a very high political authority had arrived there along with his family members. The racket raised by the ‘thovil’ that continued till the wee hours of the following morning kept the entire neighbourhood awake, they say.