© 2023 Dr. M. Sheppard
A Typical Tovil Dance to Exorcise the Disease Causing Demons
Although there are several different variations of Tovil Dances according to which type of ceremony is deemed necessary by the Edura to cure the afflicted patient, they do all seem to follow the same basic pattern. However it should be noted that the details also tend to vary between the different Eduras and groups of tovil dancers.
The common pattern is as follows:
The Tovil Dancers and their assistants typically spend much of the day at the home where the ceremony is to be held building all the necessary structures and ensuring everything is as it should be for the all-
These dances I attended usually started at about 9 p.m and continued all night until dawn.
There are three distinct periods of these ceremonies:
The Evening Watch
The Midnight Watch
The Morning Watch
Each watch has its own particular dances and costumes and during each, the appropriate demons are summoned and exorcised from the victim or victims in exchange for the prescribed offerings. Each Watch has sub sections describing the different dances and demons.
(N.B. The photographs and description in this section on DANCES are from several different Tovil Ceremonies)
Further Suggested Reading:
Bruce Kaferer “A Celebration of Demons”
Paul Wirz “Exorcism and the Art of Healing in Ceylon”
Gananath Obeysekere “The Cult of the Goddess Pattini”
You Tube Links for the Playlists for Evening Watch, Midnight Watch and Morning Watch are as follows:
Tovil (Devil) Dances 1: Evening Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh098CQI0o8&list=PLLU72I2J_0VEScb9fxpfxPgt3tf9kTSyP
Tovil (Devil) Dances 2: Midnight Watch
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLU72I2J_0VHG1fib1uqzFaDJphO2WbCp
Tovil (Devil) Dances 3: Morning Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M33Bf3mXFs&list=PLLU72I2J_0VFPq3fAEMG-