1916.9.269
Name and identification of character
The greater gara demon, maha gara (Sin.).
Context
A demon character appearing in three contexts: (i) in a group dance sequence in Kolam called Gara Nätuma (Sin.), (ii) in the demon-ritual called Gara Yakuma or Gara Tovile, and (iii) in the finale of the god-rituals; the Devolmaduva and the Gammaduva.
Material
Wood, vel-kaduru (Sin.) (Nux vomica).
Iconography
The head-dress is composed of three cobra-hoods. All three hoods rise from above the bridge of the nose. The centre hood is broad and dilated. Its ventral combines with a decorated piece in the shape of a sacred spot, a tilaka (Sin.). All three hoods are ornamented with geometric and spot, bindu (Sin.), designs in black, red and white. The eyebrows are richly decorated with petal, pala-peti (Sin.), designs and line drawings. The mouth is broad, open and slanting. The lower jaw is moveable; the gara demons are normally engaged in a prolonged dialogue with the exorcist. The ears are in the shape of discs decorated with two circles of petal and pine-flower designs. The eye-teeth extend from the corners of the mouth to the centre of the circular ears. The eye-teeth are separately fitted.
Comments on the Umlauff Catalogue
The phonetic rendering as ¿Garu¿ is incorrect.
2000 07 20
Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka