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ALPHABETICAL GUIDE TO SINHALESE FOLKLORE
on the north-west for the Moon, milky rice and margosa leaves on the north for Budahu, golden rice and bo (Ficus religiosa) leaves on the north-east for Guru, yellow rice and plantain leaves for Ketu. Thus the evil influences of the planets are to be exorcised.
Mal-bali-gala Devi. See Kambili Kadavara.
Male Raja. See Jivahatta.
Mal Hami. A person who became a Yaka (see Gangê Bandâra).
Maliya Raja. Father of Mini-maru Yaka.
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Mal Kadavara. A demon, who cures diseases of women; an altar of flowers (mala) is made for him. [Kadavara-tovil.] Invoked in Tedálankâraya (as loving the scent of jasmin flowers), Kaḍavara-vidiya, K.-upata, K.-kavi, K.-gotu-pidavila, Tota-kumâra-baliya, T.-k.sántiya. See also Dala Kadavara, Dala Raja.
Mal-kami. Consort of Ratikan, q. v.
Mal-keli. A ritual, described in M.-k.-upata. Four sandal posts are set up round a space two cubits by one, with elephant-tusks and an awning, and a curtain of red cloth is drawn round. Perfumed flowers are hung around, and rice, scent, flowers, and lamps are offered inside. A water-pot with flowers is placed over the flower-altar (mal-yahan). Nåflowers especially are included. The gods are summoned, and flowers heaped around. Nâmal Kumaru is invoked to receive the offerings. Flowers, young cocoanuts, and betel are also offered to Kataragama Deva, Visnu, the god of Minnêri, Pattini, Ridigama Deva, Viramunda, and the Seven Kings. See Ná-mal Kumára. A similar ritual, the M.-k.-yädima, invokes Pattini, Visņu, Kanda, Siddha Pattini, Bhadra-kâli, Vaduru Mâ-kâli, Silambari, Anuhas Devi, Kâla-deva Mohini, Siva-kâli, Avatara Yaku, Madana Siva Guru, Sarasvati, Bhairava, Kalupra-Kambili, Siva Guru, Bisi-billa, Siva-yâre the Bisi-billâ, and Narasimha.
Mal Kurumbura. A companion of Devel Devi (q. v.), born from Bhasmâsura's death-flames.
Mallava Bisava. A queen, on whom see Ralikan.
Mallava Yaka. A demon in the troop of Da limunda. See also Sanni raka.
Malla Yaku. A follower of Däḍimunda.
Mal-madana. Companion of Ratikan. Mal Pattini. See Pattini.
Mal-sara Raja. As Candrimâ Devi, queen of Vadiga, was bathing, a Devatâr in a sandalwood tree by the lake took the form of a Naga (cobra) in the petals of a lotus; she plucked it, and he slipped through her nostrils and was conceived by her, while his thousand companion Devatârs were similarly conceived by her thousand serving-women. When she came out of the lake, she became senseless. A holy man restored her and sent her to the city of Vicila. During her pregnancy she had a desire to have cobras twining round her. The boy to whom she gave birth, Mal-sarâ, killed the cobras, and drank their blood. At the age of 16 years he went to Oddisa's country, and married Kusuma Bisava, the youngest of the 8 daughters of the king of Vadiga. Her sisters from jealousy sent to Mal-sarâ by the hand of Gaurâṣṭa Yaku a casket containing noxious charms. Oddiga met Gaurâsta, and bade him put it down; he threw it into the sea, where fishers found it. They brought it to the king; it was opened, and the charms spread abroad in the city, and Oddise was brought to exorcise them. [Vadiga-patunê: V.-p. yâgê: Hat adiva prarambhaya.]
The Vin-dosa-upata narrates the following legend. Mal-sarâ was son of Varo Raja of Mandara-nuvara in Ceylon, and succeeded his father as king. His ministers
