First Milestone for "Rithika's Hideout" Eco Bungalow at Sigiriya

On October 19th 2012 at 10:02am, a first milestone in the construction of the first "Rithika's Hideout" Eco lodge building was achieved with the laying of the foundation stone.

The ceremony was opened by a short greeting by the owners of Amathima Holdings - Deshamaanya. Prasanna Mano de Silva, Renuka Thilakawardana and Mast. Rithika de Silva.

The foundation stone with precious and semi precious items was sealed and buried in the ground plate of the building after a religious ceremony.

At the end of the brief ceremony, a tree planting campaign was held to commemorate the event by the participants.

Sri Lankan Wisdom About Gods & Goddesses!!!!

People have doubts about existence of gods since long times, so lot of times we heard god's stories from folktales or fictitious details in our literally books.

Who are Gods & Goddesses
Gods and goddesses are powerful energy beings who did big merits on donations, precepts and meditations in their past life times. Gods don't like come near to human world or humans. So only they look at us and use mind waves for help us. Lot of times god's thoughts are powerful which means they can create some physical things from their mind. Gods look at people who do merits and use their mind power to help those people's life, which means make easy their works. This is called as Devatha Dushti which means Attraction of Gods. We can get their attraction from mainly by giving merit to them. In Sri Lanka gods & goddesses called as Deviyo. Some low power gods & newly born gods are called as Devatha or Deva Putta. Except gods, their have another energy beings such as : 

Naga - They are powerful inhuman mostly live in ocean, but like to do merit, same power have like gods. When they want to be physically appear, they seen as serpent. Some of them have big body & powerful mind power.
Devils - Yakka - Beings who are cruel and ugly than gods, mostly not respect to five precepts. Some have fearful face and body color like dark black. They like eat meat, fish, eggs & oiled meals.
Hungry ghosts - Praytha - Beings who were did sins in their past life, now stay without foods, cloths, body and house. Lot of times these inhumans trouble us with spell bindings & hunting our homes or body.
Bahirawa - Same as ghosts but only located in certain areas & protect that area as their own. Bahirawa only trouble us, when we try to reside their area. In that time we want do Bahirawa puja for get their permission.
Asura - Inhuman beings that have same power as gods, but don't respect precepts or virtuous people. Sometimes they do jokes, troubles to good people & sometime fight with gods too. They stay in ocean or near areas.
Mara - Inhuman beings that have great power for control all living beings include gods then attach them to lust, ill-will & ignorance. They trouble to good people in human world or gods and help to bad people.

Any gods don't come or hunt into human body except hungry ghost, naga or devils. But some devils are observing five precepts, respect to Buddhism & practice Buddhist teachings.
Some gods live in heaven (Sadiuya Loko Devo) and some are live on human world or sky near to earth, they are called as Earth Based gods (Bumatu Devo). In Maha Samaya Sutta, Lord Buddha said there have gods in based on all other planets and stars (Nakkhattàni purakkhatvà...) such as our sun, moon, Venus, mars, etc. Gods who are not belongs to lust world stay on Brahma worlds (Brahma Loko Devo) & gods who are in Anagami state (person who removed lust) stay on pureland heavens (Suddawasa Devo). Some low power gods who do entertain for higher gods from art, music and dances are called as Gandrawa. Lot of time they live in some part of heaven of four regions.
Popular Buddhist teaching is "People, who have gone to the Buddha for refuge, Will not go to the plane of hells. On discarding the human body, they will fill the hosts of devas in heavens". 

How We Attract Gods & Goddesses?

It is very difficult to get god's attraction within small time such as one day, sometimes two or more months want to wait for get attraction from particular god. However Buddhist people can get their attraction from mind request in every day after worshiping to triple gem. But some people can get their attraction very soon cause of past lives relationship with gods. But gods attraction formula is so simple, which is :

  Merits + Precepts + Tidiness + Sweet Odors + Chanting Dhamma (Parittas)

Lord Buddha say it is wise transfer merits to gods by doing Buddhist merit activities such as : giving alms or medicine, cloths donations to sangha, help to making temples or rooms for meditative Buddhist monks, doing meditations, observe precepts, teaching dharma, learning dharma, helping to poor people, etc...
Earth Based gods and goddesses are attracted to - sweet odors such as water flowers, sandalwood, jasmine, pichcha, some oils, fruits or clean places such as clean ponds, rivers, big trees, nice gardens, stupa and temples. If you keep such odors, trees or flowers inside your home, rooms or garden so gods will like to your home.
Also keeping Buddha worshiping place (neat room or tall table with Buddha statue, leave of Bodi tree & small stupa, where you can offer flowers, incense sticks & oil lamp to Lord Buddha.) in your home is another way to get attractions of gods. If all family members worship to Buddha in this place, then all of them will be attracted by kindly gods.
Another thing is after you get sign from ishta devatha or other gods attracted to you, it is not good wear or use Amulets (Yantras) or use sound science (Mantras) for cure your problems. Then gods think you neglect their power, so they remove their attraction from you or your family. Instead of Mantras, you can use Buddhist poems or Parittas (Gods are esp. like to hear Karaniya Metta sutta & Maha Mangala Sutta). Good thing is you talk such things with your family Astrologer. If you reduce your merit works then gods also reduce their attraction as same amount from you & your family. Dhamapada said person who not get angry, who say true words & who give donations may close to gods! 

Buddhist Gods & Goddesses  

Buddhist people don't refuge gods but they only ask help from gods. Lot of Buddhist gods can be attracted to you by mind requesting. If they take your requesting into consider, they will show it by dream or some sign. These dreams can be see by you or your family member who has best precepts. Then you need to transfer merit for that god by doing big merit work by yourself. Lord Buddha said practicing of - devotion to triple gem, observe five precepts, dharma learning, donations & develop wisdom help to born in own desired heavens. Among these six heavens, Tusita heaven is special heaven where have only real Buddhist gods, Buddhist goddesses and Bodhisattva gods. Heavens since Yamaya are locations for gods & goddesses who don't like conflicts, anger and green-eyed. 
     
Here are brief descriptions about the six heavens :

Name Of Heaven	Heaven Of	Name of Main God	Life Time in Human Years
Caturr Maha Rajika	Four Regions	Satarawaram Gods	9 million
Tawatimsa	Thirty-three Kingdoms	Sakkra Devandra	36 million
Yamaya	Fresh minded gods	Suyama	144 million
Tusita	Gods stay in Happy	Santusita	576 million
Nimmana Rati	Gods do creations	Sunimmita	2304 million
Paranimmita Vasawatti	Gods have all Lust	Vasawatti	9216 million

Also their have 20 great heavens called as Brahma Loka, which have life time more than 9216 million years. To born in Brahma Loka we need to achieve contemplation or jhana or smadhi in deep meditation.
  
Here had given names of those 20 Brahma Loka :
     
Servants of Brahma (brahma parisajja deva), Ministers of Brahma (brahma purohita deva), Great Brahmas (maha brahma), Brahmas of Small Radiance (parittabha deva), Brahmas of Infinitive Radiance (appamanabha deva), Brahmas of Streaming Radiance (abhassara deva), Brahmas of Small Glory (parittasubha deva), Brahmas of Infinitive Glory (appamanasubha deva), Brahmas of Refulgent Glory (subhakinna deva), Brahmas of Very Fruitful (vehapphala deva),
Brahmas of not Falling Away (aviha deva), Untroubled Brahmas (atappa deva), Beautiful Brahmas (sudassa deva), Clear-sighted Brahmas (sudassi deva), Brahmas of Non-junior (akanittha deva), Infinite Space (akasanañcayatanupaga deva), Infinite Consciousness (viññanañcayatanupaga deva), Unconscious beings (asaññasatta), Nothingness (akiñcaññayatanupaga deva), Neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññanasaññayatanupaga deva).

Satarawaram gods : Four main gods rule in four directions of the world & four inhuman types from Heaven of four region or Caturr Maha Rajika. These four gods also called as Satarawaram gods and stay under rules of god Shakra Devandra. These four gods separate some devil leaders for protect virtuous Buddhist people. Dutarathta (East) rules Gandrawa, Virullha (South) rules Ghosts, Virupakka (West) rules Naga & Kuwera (North) rules Devils. 

Below we discuss some other Buddhist gods who are detailed in Sutra Pitakaya. 

• Brahma Gods : Brahma Sahampathi god who lives in Brahma Loka, enlightened into Anagami state in Kasapa Lord Buddha's time and helped to our Gautama Buddha. People who do meditation can get attraction of this god. Also this god good for ask help for education. Another Brahma god is Sanath Kumara who lives in Brahma Loka, help to our Buddha's Bodhisattva times. He is main Dharma talker or adviser in six heavens. Tissa Brahma is another god who helping us to understand Buddhist sutra and advanced Buddhist teachings. He became Anagami state from our Lord Buddha's time, because his past life he stayed as educated monk. Gatikara Brahma is Amagami god who was close friend of our Buddha's bodhisattva time. He also helps to Buddhist people.
     
• Pure Land Gods : Suddhavaso deva are gods who attain Anagami (none returning to lust worlds) and Arahant states whose help to Buddhist people. They are real gods who take care Dharma and honest Buddhist people. These gods have huge number of lifetimes and many powers than any gods. Mainly these gods help to Buddhist people who work hard for attain path and fruition of Buddhism toward Nibbana. These gods finished their spiritual path into final level and always look at human world for support noble followers and seers. There have five pure land Brahma Lokas called as - Aviha deva, Atappa deva, Sudassa deva, Sudassi deva and Akanittha deva.
      
• Sakkra Devandra : Main god of both Tawatimsa & Caturmaha-Rajika heavens. Sometimes looks at human world & helps to virtuous Buddhist people. This god was became soovan state (stream-enterer), so sometimes comes as poor beggar to check our precepts. This god takes decisions related to human world than other gods.
     
• Kuwera or Vissawana : Leader of Yakka group among Satarawaram gods, sometimes helps to poor people who stay with Buddhism. He gives permission to his servants (devils) or low power gods to say future prediction in Devala. This action called as giving -waram. Our kings time, people keep Bara for get wealth and money form help of Kuwara god. Said to be good talker but also said cruel god. People who do businesses can ask help from this god for develop wealth & success in their firms.
    
• Datharaththa : Leader of Gandrauwa group among Satarawaram gods, who likes to art and music. So Buddhist people who do art works or esp. music, they can ask help from this god.
    
• Indra Deva : All sons of Satarawaram gods, are called as Indra gods. They take care other gods & goddesses. In Atanatiya Sutta there have details of these gods. You can ask help from these gods too. Esp. these gods help to virtuous Buddhist people when they occur troubles related to inhuman attractions. 

• Visaka Goddess : Visaka said to be got soovan (stream-enterer) in her age seven and helped to our Lord Buddha. Also she helps to poor people. Now she lives as powerful goddess in Nimmana Rathi heaven. Therefore Buddhist female people who practice Dharma can ask help or attraction from this goddess.
    
• Matru Divya Raja : Our Lord Buddha's real mother called Mahamaya Davi, was rebirth as male god in Tusita heaven. This god helps every Buddhist people and esp. female Buddhists.
    
• Matali God : Official driver & close friend of Sakkra Devendra god. People who do work related to traveling can ask help from this god. Sometimes this god informs to other gods about good people in human world.
    
• Panchasika : Official musician of heaven Tawatimsa. Buddhist people who are doing works related to music can get attraction of this god. His past life he was poor young boy who help to develop his village from his body power. Also he played Vina and flute, so his merit overcame to be god in Caturmaha-Rajika heaven.
     
• Janasabha or Janawasabha : Whole sutra has in Sutra Pitakaya related to this god whose past life was one of soovan or stream-entered king called as Bimbisara, who was killed by his own son. He is live under Kuwera god, sutra said he works as messenger for Satarawaram gods. He was mention as one of devil leader in Atanatiya sutra who helps to Buddhist people for cure devil & ghost problems.
    
• Anatapindika Deva Putra : Lord Buddha's main laic care, bank owner called Anatapindika is another soovan god,  (stream-enterer) who live in Tusita heaven. He will help to any Buddhist person for life problems.
     
• Viswakarma  God : In Tawatimsa heaven has god called as Viswakarma who has ability for engineering works, sometimes help to engineers in human world for their creations. People who do technology, can get help from this god. Also this god helps to poor but honest people by creating properties.

Council Of Gods & Goddesses

Except some gods, other all famous gods & goddesses are belongs to Bumatu Deva or Yakka or Nagha sector under the Satarawaram Gods. Even heavens have lot of gods, only some powerful gods who take care human world. They are called as council of god (Deva Mandalaya). These gods are can call as guarding gods, cause about 25 years by 25 years they care human world as each by each. Some of them live in sub heavens which are located between earth surface and main six heavens. Birth of all god's life, belongs to did merits in their human life. There have wide truth that these gods are live in our real life. When Lord Buddha visited Sri Lanka three times & Arhat monk Mihidu Thero came to Sri Lanka, so lot of gods & goddesses in Sri Lanka became soovan (stream-enterer) & higher states, therefore we can conclude all areas in our country have those powerful gods who take care Buddhist people around their regions.
     
We want to say any of following discussing gods or goddesses are not fictitious, so they really live. Because lots of gods stories come from myths, we did real life investigations about gods via people who have power to talk with gods via light reading (anjanam) or mind power, personal experiences & monks who do meditation. We found this information related to below gods. Also here we want to give our thanks for all spiritual professionals & Buddhist Theros, who help us for our research with deities, also wish them to success their spiritual life!

• Maitreya Bodhisattva God : This virtuous god lives in Tusita heaven who will become next Lord Buddha. He is most powerful god in heaven who has ultimate merit powers. Lot of time he uses his all time for meditation and observes strict precepts. Sometimes he comes to human world and helps to good people without care religions.
  If you mentally request, this god can read your thoughts then surely help you.
     
• Sri Natha God : Natha god is another bodhisattva god now lives in Tusita heaven. However he will not become Lord Buddha at very close time, but helps to Buddhist people. Main devala is in Kandy temple tooth. Hence people called him as Senkadagala God. Good for ask helpings related to family development. For Natha bodhisattva god, you must do deva puja from three white lotus flowers.
      
• Kataragama God : Sri Lankan people give especial attention to this god than other gods. Kataragama god is staying in Sellakataragama area in Sri Lanka who is also protecting temple of Kiriwahera and related Bodhi tree. Main devala is in Kataragama. Since our king’s ages, people get help from this god for gain unique educational skills, bring back lost properties, increase mind power, develop courage for face enemies, lottery winnings, get new properties, develop personality & all areas in our life. Our lots of people saw this god as wearing brown color cloth like seer & do meditate in forest areas in Kataragama.
  Kataragama god also called as Skanda Kumara God who was person came to Sri Lanka from India. He did helps to sinhala people from his mind power by donating his time & hard working. These merits help him to be powerful god. He is jockey libidinous god, but also gives big punishments to people who don't remove onus on right time. But always this god likes to help people without care nation, religion or casts. This god has two wives, called as Tavani Amma & Walli Amma. Kataragama god likes fruit pujas than other puja types.
     
• Upulwan God : Upulwan (or Vishnu) god is mainly protecting Buddhism in Sri Lanka, who is another bodhisattva god. Upulwan means god with blue color complexion & cloths. Main devala is located at Devinuwara town near to southern region in Sri Lanka. From research did from light reading, found that Vishnu god use his value time for meditation & observe precepts hence don't waste his time for look at every devala in worldwide. So he sends his minister gods for look at such worldwide devala. When someone asks help from Vishnu god, he appoints his messenger gods to help him. It is good you do deva puja for god Vishnu from small white flowers & blue flowers. His main duty is giving protection for good people (also for gods) from bad people, enemies & other evil powers. He also has wife & Vishnu god is who knowing lovers well. In his past life, he stayed as rich salesman then became Buddhist monk when our Buddha Gautama preached dharma. After that again he had born in India as King Krishna. Then cause of his great merits forces, he became main god in heaven.

• Sumana Saman God : This god is worthy among all other gods. Because this god was first Sri Lankan god who attained stream entry state. His power mainly located in Samanala or Sri Padha Mountain in Sri Lanka. God Saman's duty is protect Buddha's relic of foot mark in top of mountain, protect people who come to worship Buddha's relics & temple on mountain. This god doesn’t go every devala in island wide such as other gods, so only we can get bless from this god in Samanala rock area. You can do deva puja for this god from red lotus flowers. Saman god come & helps people as normal village person in his area, lot of time as very old person wearing white color cloths. Main devala is located in Sabaragamuwa area. Sumana means his human life time name while Saman is said because he protects the Samanala rock. (Picture of Sumana Saman God)
     
• Dadimunda God : God is governor of all hungry ghosts & devils in Sri Lanka. Consider his trendy is emitted all over the Sri Lanka. He is one minister of Sri Vishnu god, army leader of Kataragama god & grandson of Kuwara god. His father was Purnaka the devil leader and mother was Erandathi the naga queen. Main devala is located in Aluth Nuwara area near to Mawanella town. Dadimunda means god of steady minded and bearded face. This god who met then asked dharma from our Gautama Buddha & took words to protect Buddhist people. Even we say Dadimuda as god, but he is devil leader. But he is Buddhist & observes higher precepts, hence can be treated as god. People can ask help from this god for problems with hungry ghosts, devils, evil powers, sicknesses, spell bindings & curses of negative people. From our research we found this god can give herbal medicine, because he has vast knowledge about herbal medicine, astrology & mantra sciences. Dadimunda god likes lighted oil lamps, fruits, flowers & sweet meals as his deva puja. (Picture of Dadimunda God)
    
• Siddha Suniyam God : Suniyam god is protector of all villages & houses in Sri Lanka who is traveling village to village in mid night on white cloths. This god' traveling can be known from sudden jasmine smell & sometime dogs are bark. He gives punishments to bad people while helps to good ones. This god stays in two states as god and cruel devil. Suniyam god is very cruel god who gives vast punishments for bad people. In his human life, he was person who protected law in society when Sakanda Kumara's human life. Siddha Suniyam means this god needs to be invited when use mantra science & related works; He gives permission to work mantras. Suniyam god stays under rules of the Kataragama god. It is true that he has white horse & wife too. This god's main devalaya is located at Kuliyapitiya, Kabalawa village in the North-West province of Sri Lanka.
        
• Gana God : Gana or Ganesha god was brother of Sakanda Kumara when their human life & had wise brain power. He helped to Sakanda Kumara & other people for take right decisions in their life. Ganesha also came to Sri Lanka from India. Stayed on Wadihitikanda mountain in south of Sri Lanka. Because of his merit works, he also became as god. Ganesha especially helps to lovers to success their love life from negative people. He is jockey god who doesn’t punish humans. Ganesha god helps to people who do higher education, astrology, mantra works & yantra preparing. Ganesha god has many nick names such as Ayyanayaka, Pulleyar, Gana, etc...

• Iswara God : People can get help for solve money problems, job problems & success in house hold properties from Iswara god. Iswara god also called as Shiva God in heaven. His past life, he was father of Sakanda Kumara and also had mind power which can help to poor people. Iswara became god cause of his virtuous on helping to old women, pregnant women and mothers as his own mother. Iswara god helps to people who do yoga, kundalani meditation, light reading, mantra & yantra sciences. Iswara god likes white pichcha or jasmine flowers as his deva puja. Iswara god has goddess as wife, so she is called as Uma goddess in heaven.
     
• Maheswara God : This god was cousin brother of Iswara in his human life, also practiced kundalani yoga & meditation. Maheswara became god cause of his merits on helping to poor people and donating cup of bee honey to Kasapa Lord Buddha. Maheswara god take care human world & help to good people while punish to every bad people. If you stay as Buddhist precepts & vegetarian, Maheswara god surely help you to success your life. From our research, we found Maheswara god has more power than Iswara god.
    
• Wibisana God : He was brother of King Rawana, but virtuous than Rawana. (Rawana-Rama story is half correct as we researched, but not all facts are true as in myth). Rawana is powerful king in Sri Lanka who knows mantra science well. As we research Rawana had aero vehicle called "Dadumonara" which can be controlled by power of sounds (i.e. mantras). Cause of virtuous merit works of Wibisana as prince, he was treated as god by people. These virtuous merits of Wibisana, he became as powerful god and now helps us. Wibisana god's ruling area and his main devala is Kelani temple, where is near to Colombo.
    
• Pattini Goddess : Pattini goddess is another Buddhist goddess who hopes to born in male life as Bodhisattva in her future life times. She helps to people by truth of her power of chastity. Main devala is in Nawagamuwa. It is true that female devil Kali Amma, is helper of Pattini goddess. This goddess likes to earn merit from Kiriamma Dana which is tradition in Sri Lanka. People began to boil milk when start new auspicious task also for get attraction from Pattini goddess. But this milk must not from animal's milk, only made from coconut or soya. She helps to cure sicknesses and mainly protect new born babies from all evils and sicknesses. Pattini goddess has seven middle power goddesses, who are treating as her mothers.
         
• Laskmi Goddess : She stay under rules of Kataragama god, but really help to people with matters of businesses, money, lottery winnings, gemming & properties. In her past life she help to poor people by giving money & free education for students, when Skanda Kumara rule in villages in Kataragama area. That merit helped her to be goddess. But she can't give money to you while she can only remove your obstacles when you work hard for earn money. In that case she asks permission from Kataragama god before help you.

• Saraswathi Goddess : Goddess stays under rules of God Ganesha, when she happens to help people in matters of music, dancing, art & general education. But she can't make learn you or give answers in exams. Only can remove your obstacles in your education. She can help you to strong up your mind via her mind power. It is highly advice to students with problems in education, must do Saraswathi Puja in real devala. (Actually Laskmi and Saraswathi are same goddess but stay in two states, when she help to people.)
   
• Devol God : In Kashapa Lord Buddha's time one merchant donate fire heaters to temple of Lord Buddha where Sangha stayed in winter season. These merits were helped him to became powerful god and look at the Sri Lanka. Firstly he became tree based god in India then again he was born in Sri Lanka as mountain based god. Mainly he helps for cure sicknesses, protects people from spells, helps to herbal medicine doctors and helps to mantra related activities. Also he look after and give punishments, to false priests and to people who do lies on astrology, mantra yantra works and herbal medicine. 
     
• Kali Amma Goddess : Actually she is female devil leader. In past she stayed as rude devil eating human meats, but according to advices from Lord Buddha & Pattini goddess, now she became good inhuman, who respect five precepts. She is helper of Pattini goddess. Because she is good one now, in heaven she called as Bhadhra Kali. She is only one goddess who can attract very soon. Sometimes she help to success of mantra works too. Best way to treat her is, give Kiriamma Dana, and then transfer merit to her as well as Pattini goddess.
     
• Walli Amma Goddess : One wife of the Sakanda Kumara god. Some people get help from her and ask future predictions from this goddess in some Devala or herbal medicine centers. This goddess helps to remove problems of ghosts or devils and cure sickness from heavenly medicine.
      
• Kadawara God : Live under rules of Kataragama god. Kadawara is cruel devil leader & have many states such as protection, punish people when we neglect to remove Bara of Kataragama god, take spell bindings, etc. He can consider as real devil, who isn't care even Buddhism, when he trouble to people. People want to give him oblation or Pideni, not deva puja. Pideni must include red or dark color flowers, meat, fish, oiled eggs, rice, curries, oiled meals, etc. But we don't recommend keep lamps or Pideni for him in homes, gardens or your lands, because he punishes cruel way even for your little mistakes
       
• Bandara Devathavo : Village leaders, herbal medical doctors, astrologers & teachers who did merit in their human life, consider rebirth as gods called Bandara Devatha. These bandara devatha can see as wearing white color long cloths with matted hair. There have lot of Bandara Devatha in every village in Sri Lanka. I.e. Kande Bandara, Sapumal Bandara, Pichchamal Bandara, etc...

• Gambara Devathavo : Gambara Devatha are cheaf of bandara devatha who care each of every villages or towns in Sri Lanka. So very villages have gambara devatha, who tells about their villages & people in there to Gambara Siddha Suniyam god. Also gambara devatha take care Kataragama devala in their villages and towns.
     
• Graha Devathavo : As planet earth, other all planets also have gods & goddesses. Among those gods each planet have main god. As example Saturn have most powerful gods & goddesses, those gods are ruling by most powerful one main god. He is called as Senasuru Grahaya or main god of Saturn. Rahu & Katu are not planets hence those gods are only two powerful asura gods. These gods can influence us with our negative or positive karma forces. Hence these nine gods give punishments or help us in our each dasa periods. As example in Buda main dasa & Shani sub dasa period, we get attraction of gods in Mercury & Saturn planets. These nine main gods are staying under rules of Sri Vishnu god. When we keep pujas for planet's problems relevant gods in particular planet can reduce such problems. But they can't 100% remove such karma effects from us.

Devala and Deva Puja

Lot of main gods or goddesses have their ministers (who are middle power gods), while under those ministers have lot of low power gods who care some certain areas. As well as low power gods, all main gods have groups of devils or powerful hungry ghosts, who are used to give punishments to people who do bad things. Because all god's duty is keep good in world & escape bad ones. Devala or Devale or Deity Shrines (or Fane) is place, where having such low power gods such as Bumathu Devas, devils or ghosts. Those low power gods tell about us to their ministers. Lot of times these low power gods help to success our onus via asking help from their ministers gods. As a example Kataragama god's minister god separate lot of low power gods to every Kataragama Devala in Sri Lanka & worldwide.

People give fruit's & flower's smells to gods. Cause some gods stay by taking such smells, colors & lights as meals. In Sutra Pitakaya there have groups of sutra called Gandabbakaika Sanyuttaya, which are discussed about these kind of god by Lord Buddha. To do right god's blessing ceremony or Deva Puja (offering to gods), first we need to clean four trays and take new oil lamps (about one to nine). Then you need to make those four trays as below :

• First tray must has with spread herbal leaves, nine fruits with small stick of sugar cane, king coconut fruit & seven sweet meals. As herbal leaves can take betel leaves. Here fruits must not - cut, eaten by insects or animal, dirty or too much young & old. Sweet meals must make in house, must not eat before keep in gods.
• Normally we use "small stick of sugar cane, pineapple, bananas & mangoes" as essential fruits for deva puja.
• Second tray must has with spread herbal leaves, nine verities of flowers and lighted incense sticks. Flowers which are keep to gods must not big, dark or red flowers. But as water flowers, we can keep red lotus.
• Third tray must has with spread seven herbal leaves, seven coins & lighted seven camphor coins on shaded coconut fruit. Here coins only for represent money, you no need to keep big money.
• Lighted seven oil lamps in forth tray, normally oils from -  sandalwood, king coconuts or coconuts. Oil for god's lamps must not include animal oils. 

People who can't make such big puja can make small puja from steel tray with spread betel leaves, five fruits, three sweet meals, white flowers, lighted incense sticks and lighted camphor coins on shaded coconut fruit.
  
It is good you use steel, brass or golden tray. This tray must only used for keep puja for gods. You need to consult good Astrologer for doing correct deva puja, Because according to your problem and also different gods like different type of leaves, odors, flowers, fruits, oils, meals & smells. After keeping these trays into place of god or Devala, we can request their attractions. Cause gods are like to neat & clean environments. Hence we need to choose clean place for do deva puja. Every devala have priest, who help to do deva puja. He is scared to be vegetarian and know well about god in his devala. You can consult priest in devala for keep this deva puja. But also you can keep such puja in devala or near the Bodhi tree by your hand then mindly request to take your puja. As you can understand this puja are not eaten by gods but they only use it's smells, colors or light & make happy their minds.

Keeping Of Bara

Some people keep agreement or onus with gods, it called as Bara by keep or tired coin twisted from new white cloth in devala or near tree. This coin is called as Padura. This coin must be wash from mixer of lime juice with turmeric & cloth can be white, yellow or red & newly brought one. It is advised that all people want to remove Bara by give some help to devala after god help to you. Otherwise gods try to give big punishments to us, till we remove Bara. These penalties are called as Deva Dosha. You no need to keep big agreement with god what you can't do, gods enough little puja such as fruit, flowers, oil lamp, candle light, etc...
If you are live in another country, you can do same deva puja in Hindu temple or devala in those countries. But it is not good do deva puja in garden or outside in homes cause some ghosts and devils hunter those smells. They will give new problems in your home. You can arrange deva puja little bit below the Buddha worshiping place or puja room. In that case use below steps :

• Take photo of your liked god and keep it little bit below to Lord Buddha statue, on table with white clothed. 
• Firstly keep flowers, light oil lamp & light incense sticks to triple gem in Buddha worshiping place. 
• Worship Lord Buddha by saying stanza or your owner way. 
• Then chant parittas of Karaniyametta sutra, Ratana sutra and Mangala sutra.
• Then observe five precepts.
• Then remember your recently did merit activities about little time.
• Then light another oil lamp for god in front of god's photo. Oils must be coconut oil.
• Offer light of oil lamp and transfer merits what you did, to god.
• Then ask help from gods by keep a bara via mental requesting.
• After that day no need to light lamp for god every days. 
• Gods will saw you some omen in dream related to your request within 14 days.

Are god's can tell our future? (Soothsaying)

Lot of gods can tell about our future from their mind power. But some hungry ghosts & devils mislead us from devala by saying in truth about past but say lies about future. Because ghosts & devils can't say about our future more correct way as gods. Therefore you must be care when you go to ask future predictions from some devalas. It is good to determine is that devala having god or ghost by talking with main priests of devala. Gods don't like to waste money, but ghosts are tried to collect money from people who come to devala. Then give that money to priests, because they are past lives relation of those priests. But gods don't like to do that kind of misleading things.
   
In sinhala these kind of future predictions or prophesies are called as Sattara. Gods, devils, naga and ghosts can read our mind by enter to our mind images. Lot of time they can read our past lives through our mind. It is esp: power they have. Then they determine what kind of things happen in future through our karma forces. Lot of times naga, ghosts & devils hunt our body to read our mind. This is called as trance or Awasha. In trance state, person vibrates his body or head & say what customer ask things. But some powerful devils, naga & gods don't like to hunt human body, instead of it they link with our mind or nervous system via telepathy & their divine-eye. Cause gods are thinking human body as dirty or uncanny. In this case priest don't become awasha, instead he can know what telling by gods via some objects such as oil lamp, leaves, white paper, water cup, etc. Sometimes priests give Herbal Medicines, in that case before take such medicines, ask from experienced Ayurvadic doctor whether those medicines are valid according to traditional Ayurvadha. So here are simple identifications for know such devala have gods or other inhumans,

• Ask name of gods or goddesses when he get awasha or trance, lot of times gods are say their names, details of heavens, what merit they did to become god, etc. But other inhumans get angry soon when we ask their details. (Those inhumans say asking those details help to get punishment from gods.)
• Gods or goddesses don't like trance or hunt human body.
• Gods & goddesses are kind but other inhumans try to fear us.
• Devala which have inhuman (not gods), are try to take money from customers, by make fear us such as telling we have big spell bindings, going to die, becomes sick, etc...
• Devala must be nice & clean for get attraction of any kind gods.

Get helps from gods & goddesses

According to our problems these gods or goddesses are help to get rid from our pains or they help us to win our life goals as like below. However gods & goddesses are not who stay for help us. If they feel they help us. If we have big negative karma to give result they will stay silent. Gods are can't mislead by giving pujas or by visiting to devalas, cause they are know every thing about us. Before get helps from these gods you must know that whether there have Ishta Devatha for you or there have attraction of particular god or goddess. If you have, then that ishta devatha can ask help from these main gods for you as representative. Ishta Devatha are our past life relations or friends or teachers who became gods cause of their merits. You can consult your astrologer for know that you have attraction of ishta devatha. Lot of times there has especial helpings from particular gods and goddesses. Therefore you may need consult your astrologer for know what gods good for your problems. However if you trust power of particular god, you can ask help from that god via your own mind. Here we gave some tips for get help from gods :

• Gods can get your transferred merits & then they help or bless for you. But lot of gods don't need our merits for their living. Also lot of gods esp. in upper heavens can do their own merits activities such as doing meditations, asking Dharma, observing precepts, etc...
• Gods give small punishment to people who stay with good precepts, but tends to go bad path. Also some gods give big punishments when we neglect to remove bara. But gods don't punish to people who blames, neglect or refuse existence of gods, also they don't help such people.
• In every fullmoon day & poya days gods observe higher precepts, hence it is not uses or good ask for help from them in fullmoon days or visit devalas in such days. God's council normally gather at time between 10pm to 4am in every nights, which are suit for ask help from your most likes or respected gods & goddesses.
• Every gods can't give every helps what you ask, every gods have their own subject & limitations. This subjects or skills they achieved by their merits of their past human life. Some god have lot of skills. Also we need merits for get help from gods, means they can't help us when we face big negative karma.
• Gods can see every things at once, also they can go anywhere as soon as they feel. But gods & goddesses are not all mighty or all powerful ones as we heard. God's precepts & wisdom are different with each other gods cause they achieved such power from their past life merits. Sometimes gods are also face negative karma, when such periods comes they become some what powerless.
• Real look like of gods are not same as what you seen in images on pictures, devala or shops. Even names are same, but god's past life stories are different from folk stories & myths stories. When we researched, we seen that lot of gods & even goddesses wear charm cloths & very small amount of gold ornaments.
• Always remember god's attraction formula, when you wish to get help from gods & goddesses : 
  " Merits + Precepts + Tidiness + Sweet Odors + Chanting Dhamma (Parittas) "

 Dadimunda God

Devol God

Iswara God

Kataragama God

Lashmi Goddess

Natha God

Pathtini Goddess

Saman God

Saraswathi Goddess

Suniyam God

Vishnu God

Ayyanayaka God

   

Sinhalese New Year - Traditions and Customs

According to Sinhalese tradition in April, when the sun moves from Meena Rashiya, the house of Pisces to Mesha Rashiya , the house of Aries, the natives of Sri Lanka begin celebrating their national new year or Aluth Avurudhu as known in Sinhala. The actual history of the Sinhalese new year goes back to primitive period in Sri Lankan history where it’s believed that the Prince of peace named Indradeva riding in a white carriage and wearing on his head a white floral crown with seven cubits high descends upon the earth to ensure peace and happiness.

Sinhalese new year celebrations begins with the customary bathing on the last day of the old year and viewing the moon on the same night. The ringing of the bell accompanied by the beating of drums in the village temple announces the times to perform the different rituals. The customary bathing for the passing of the year is very important. Sinhalese new year festival witnesses different merry making activities. On this day, people visit the temples and special prayers are offenavy in the name of Lord Buddha and other mighty gods and goddesses.

Traditional Sinhalese new year starts with the observance of "Nonagathe” a religious ritual but the actual festivities begin with the lighting of hearth at the new year’s eve, when the whole family dresses in new clothes and eats together the first meal of the new year’ s day. Traditional games and sports activities are also held on this day to mark the occasion. Special Sinhalese new Year dishes like ‘kiribath’ or rice milk is cooked and feasted by the whole family. Thus, Sinhalese New Year celebrations bear true spirit to the rich culture of Sri Lanka.

Valli Marries the God of the Mountain

An oral tradition from Sri Lanka as retold by Patrick Harrigan.......

You might as well know from the start - this is a girl's story. The girl, Valli Amma, was a princess of sorts - a stone-age jungle princess who grew up among the prehistoric hunting people of the island now called Ceylon or Sri Lanka. Mind you, this happened many thousands of years ago at a time when Sri Lanka was still connected to India by a land bridge.
Valli, who was only twelve years old at the time, had her heart set on Kande Yaka, the age-old hunting God of the Kataragama Mountain whose power and wisdom - they say - was beyond human understanding. The Spirit of the Mountain was so touched by Valli's innocent love that he came down to earth in disguise to touch her in return - but she wouldn't let him! Of course, they both fell in love at last, and their love story still continues to this day in far-off Sri Lanka.

Here are the details:

In the Indian Ocean not far from India lies a teardrop-shaped jewel of a tropical island called Lanka. Many thousands of years ago - nobody knows for certain when - Stone Age people of ancient India walked to Lanka across a narrow bridge of land, called Adam's Bridge, and populated this island of paradise. Their descendants today call themselves Wanniya-laeto or 'inhabitants of the forest.' But most Sri Lankans call them Veddas, meaning hunters.
Veddas believed that the spirit of a great hunter lived upon a remote mountain peak within sight of the Indian Ocean. Kande Yaka, the Great Mountain-Spirit and Hunter-God, was the Vedda people's greatest friend and guardian spirit, then even as he still is today. No successful hunt began without Vedda hunters first dancing themselves into a trance-frenzy in which Kande Yaka spoke through them, telling them where to hunt and how to survive happily. But the Vedda people also knew that Kande Yaka was easily angered, so all regarded him with a mixture of love, respect, and fear.
Now Veddas are a people who are accustomed to marvelous occurrences. So when Nambi, the chief of the Kataragama Veddas, and his wife one day discovered a baby girl in the jungle, they were overjoyed because they had been praying for a daughter, and yet nobody considered it a miracle. They called her Valli, meaning 'Sweet Potato,' because they found her in a patch of yam or valli creepers. Some say her real mother was a red deer, so perhaps Valli also had reddish hair and wide innocent eyes of a doe. Others say that since Nambi was the Veddas' chief, therefore Valli was a Vedda princess. But all agree that Valli was the sweetest child anyone had ever seen, and everyone adored her.
Valli's girlfriends loved her too, but they couldn't help but tease her about the peculiar vow or promise she had made. Valli was twelve years old and her girlfriends were always talking about brave, handsome Vedda boys who were already hunters themselves. But Valli had vowed to herself - and to Kande Yaka - that she would only accept Kande Yaka and no one else as her life companion. All the other Vedda girls laughed and teased Valli for vowing to marry a god whom no one had seen.
But Kande Yaka had been watching all his Vedda people - including Valli - with great interest all this time. The hunter-god of the Mountain was as old as the mountain itself, but as a spirit he was also young just like Valli. Before long, the ever-youthful Kande Yaka felt so attracted to Valli that he decided to come down from his mountain and meet her.
At the time, Valli's family had cleared a small patch in the jungle near Kataragama Peak and were growing millet there. But someone had to stand guard against parrots and other birds that came to eat the millet. Valli, who grew up in the jungle, was not afraid of being alone, so her father sent her to guard the field while he and Valli's brothers went hunting with bow and arrows. Day and night Valli's sweet voice could be heard as she sang to the birds and animals, warning them to keep away and twirling a sling that she used to fling stones if they ignored her and tried to eat the tender millet.
Kande Yaka could see that this was his chance to meet Valli alone face-to-face. So just like you or I would put on a fresh change of clothes, Kande Yaka put on the human form of a handsome young hunter. He figured this would be the best way to impress her. Pretending to be tracking a deer, he strolled out of the forest and into the millet field.
Of course, Valli could not recognize the handsome stranger. "Hey, get out of here fast and don't come back!" she yelled, adding "Who do you think you are?" Poor Kande Yaka was just about to apologize and retreat back into the forest when suddenly there was the sound of drums - Nambi and his hunters were bringing Valli some mangoes and honey to eat.
The moment Valli looked away, Kande Yaka turned himself into a tree. As soon as the hunters left, the god reappeared in human form and confessed his love for her. Valli was shocked and angry, and told the stranger to beware or her brothers would come back and go wild if they saw him there alone with her.
Just at that moment there was the sound of footsteps and they knew that Valli's family was coming back. In the blink of an eye, Kande Yaka changed himself into an old man with long gray beard bent over with age. Valli's family paid their respects to the kind old man and suggested that Valli would be good company for the old man as long as he stayed.
As soon as the hunting party left, the old man told Valli that he was hungry, so she gave him some millet flour mixed with honey. This only made him thirsty, so she took him to a stream and gave him water to drink. Then he told her: "Now that you have satisfied my hunger and thirst, do satisfy my love for you."
This was too much for Valli - so she gave the strange old man a piece of her mind and was about to start back to the clearing. Kande Yaka mentally asked his brother the elephant-god Ganesha for assistance. Instantly from out of the jungle from behind Valli came Ganesha in the form of a wild trumpeting elephant. Valli got the fright of her life, rushed back into the arms of the old man and begged him to save her.
"I'll save you," he said, "but on one condition. You must marry me."
There was no time to argue, so Valli agreed. No sooner did Valli agree to the stranger's condition than he revealed himself as Kande Yaka, seated on a peacock and surrounded by dazzling light. Valli was thrilled to see that it was her beloved god and after that they were never apart.
Never, except the time of harvesting the millet approached, and her family called Valli back to their tribal hamlet. Kande Yaka was awfully upset when he came to the clearing and could not find Valli. So late at night he slipped into the hamlet and together they ran away.
When Vedda chief Nambi woke up in the morning, he figured out that Valli had run away with the old man and was furious. He organized a search party and set to get revenge. When they found them, they released a volley of arrows, but instead of killing the mysterious old man, the Veddas all fell dead instead.
Valli was stricken with grief to see her relatives dead. Seeing her grief, Kande Yaka told her to revive them to life, which she did simply by touching them. The Veddas at once realized that Valli's friend was the great God of the Mountain himself, and they all fell down to worship him.
Valli's parents gave their consent for the couple to be married and the whole village rejoiced. Since that time long ago, Valli and Kande Yaka have never left Kataragama and never died, either. And they still have fun like other children, playing hide-and-seek with each other and with their devotees, who come in search of them from all over the island and even from far, far away. And if you don't believe it, you can go to Kataragama and find out for yourself.  

Happy Diwali!!!!!

A festival full of sweet childhood memories,
sky full of fireworks,
mouth full of sweets,
house full of diyas and heart full of joy.
Wishing you all a very happy Diwali!

Rithika's Hideout, Sigiriya

Rithika's Hideout (RHO) & Wild Camping Holidays in Sri Lanka @ Sigiriya, truly an Eco friendly luxury accommodation opening in early 2014. 

Log in to - http://rithikashideout.blogspot.com - or join the - Rithika's Hideout - Facebook Group for more updated information.........

Food of Sri Lanka

Food of Sri Lanka is hot and spicy. Base food of the inhabitants of the island is rice which they consume with curry both veg and fish based. All the dishes are cooked on the base of coconut milk and flavored by liberal use of spices. Like all the people of coastal regions, the Sri Lankans are also expert in preparing fish dishes. Mallung, Sambol, Lamprais, Buriyani and Polos Pehi are some popular dishes of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans also like several juicy sweetmeats like Kavum, Halape, Thalaguli and Wattalapam. Sri Lankans also like to have drinks like tea and coffee.

Curry
Curry accompanies the dishes of meat, vegetables or fish. Number of spices, all roasted and then stone-ground come together to prepare these curries. Coconut milk forms the base of this curry. Fresh herbs and garnishes flavour these curries. Basic items like chicken, beef, mutton, eggs or vegetables are cooked in a thick sauce of coconut milk with all the ingredient spices. There is plenty of variety in fish curries across the region. The Sri Lankans have their own distinctive style of preparing fish curries. Southern ambul thiyal or sour fish curry is very famous. Vegetarian curries are prepared from very available fruit or vegetable like brinjals, beans, beetroot, carrot, banana flower, pumpkin etc. Curries in Sri Lanka are very hot. However, adjustments are made to suit the foreign palate. Ingredients of curries include chilli powder, fresh chillies, cinnamon, tumeric, curry powder, curry leaves, onions, garlic, ginger and coconut milk. 

Rice
Rice is the staple food of the Sri Lankans. Almost every household in Sri Lanka takes rice and curry as its main meal. Rice too comes in plenty of variety. Samba is a pearly rice consumed on special occasions. On festivals yellow rice is cooked on the base of coconut milk and delicately flavoured by spices. Kiribath or milk-rice is a popular festive dish. Large grained milchard variety of rice gives a slightly pungent smell when cooked.

Fish Dishes
People of coastal towns consume delicious fresh fish with prawsn, crabs and lobsters. Fried fish is eaten with chips and salad while fish curry is taken with rice. Sour fish curry is a popular dish of southern Sri Lanka. Tuna, seer and para fish are very popular among the natives of Sri Lanka. 

Popular Dishes
Mallung is fondly eaten with curries. Prepared from finely shredded green vegetables and dried shrimps, it is mingled with grated coconut and spices. Sambol is a spicy hot dish. Pol Symbol is a simple combination of grated coconut, onions, red pepper, lime and salt. Seeni Sambol is a juicy combination of Maldive fish preserve and spicy onion. The Sri Lankans are fond of eating wafers, pickles and chutneys with their food. Lamprais is a dish with unique flavour. Plenty of ingredients including curries, cutlets, sambols, special prawn paste, eggplant curry and rice are kept together in a banana leaf and baked. Buriyani is rice cooked in meat stock. Polos Pehi is a dish made of the tender fruit of the jak tree. Several juicy sweetmeats are also part of the island's cuisine. Kavum is a battercake made of ground rice and treacle. Halape is a blending of coconut, jaggery and floor. Thalaguli is a confectionary ball. Many Indian sweetmeats are also found in Sri Lanka, specially in Colombo and Kandy. Wattalapam is a mouth-watering dessert. Curd and treacle is also very much liked by the visitors. Scrunchy sandwiches, delicious biscuits, potato chips and sausages are used as snacks by the Sri Lankans. 

Fruits
Several varieties of fruits are found in Sri Lanka. One can enjoy fruits like mangoes, pineapple, water melon, papaya, woodapple, bananas (also known as plantains), and rambuttan (a fruit resembling lychees). Some of these fruits are found only in Sri Lanka.

Drinks
Sri Lanka is among the topmost producers of tea in the world. Usually, it is consumed with sugar and milk. Some people are fond of taking 'plain tea' which means tea only with sugar and without milk. Crushed ginger can add more flavour to the tea. The Sri Lankans also like to have coffee. Colombo is a place to enjoy really good espresso. Indigenous cold drinks in Sri Lanka are made of fresh fruit. Bottled carbonated branded drinks like Coca-Cola, Sprite, Pepsi etc. are also widely available. Carbonated drink brands Elephant House and Ginger Beer are very popular in Sri Lanka. People also like drinking water of young coconut. Cut fresh they are delicious and nutritious too. An array of locally produced and imported beers are also available. Two local intoxicating drinks are Toddy and Arrack. Toddy is made out of palm trees while Arrack is fermented and refined toddy.