Thovil: Healing Dances of the Sri Lankan Low Country

The patient sits in front of a table laden with offerings while friends, neighbours and relatives look on. It is believed that the patient’s illness is caused by malignant entities, and only a Thovil ceremony can bring about healing. The Thovil dancer chants, recounting stories in song of those previously afflicted who were subsequently cured.

After the patient places offerings into the appropriate baskets, the Thovil dancer then fills the area with smoke, calling the demons to the area to receive their offering. The spirits are appeased, the patient is released from their afflictions, and all is well again.

Thovil, or devil dances, are ritualistic practices of healing aimed at exorcising demons that trouble a patient, whether through illness or misfortune. These rituals are believed to have originated from Southern India and were adapted by the Sinhalese.

Thovil ceremonies are broadly categorised into dances with and without masks. In masked dances, fearsome expressions are carved into wood—often with bulging eyes, a protruding nose and gaping mouth—representing both the curse and cure. Ancient chants and dances are typically passed down from father to son through generations, with training often beginning in childhood.

The offerings, percussion instrumentation, songs, dances and costumes worn for Thovil ceremonies differ by region and affliction. Different problems are thought to be caused by various malignant entities, requiring their own preparations of offerings, dances, and chants to appease the relevant spirits. Drumming plays a significant role in these rituals, with the vibrations aiding communication with supernatural beings. Buddhist influences are also woven into these ceremonies, with verses referencing the religious precepts, and homages paid to the Buddha, his teachings, and followers.

The length of these ceremonies ranges from a few hours to overnight, with preparations and manpower varying from simple to elaborate, depending on the situation. Elaborate Thovil dances may also be employed for entire communities, such as villages affected by tsunamis with high death tolls, or fishermen experiencing significant declines in their catches.

Amidst the rhythmic beating of barrel drums, witness selected excerpts from Thovil ceremonies, from dramatic reenactments of local myths to evil-dispelling dances with whirling fire torches.