Glossary
aluwa (?-lu-wah)
a Sri Lankan sweet made from roasted rice flour with boiled treacle, cashews, and cardamon, served as a cookie
amma (?m-mah)
mom
bulbul (bul-bul)
a songbird
dolla (doh-lah)
offerings given in a tovil ceremony
guruthuma (gu-ru-thu-mah)
the formal reference of a teacher
hak gediya (ha-k geh-di-yuh)
type of conch shell that is used as a kind of trumpet in the traditional ritualistic music of Sri Lanka
hakuru (ha-ku-ru)
raw palm sugar
hatte (hatt-té)
a blouse worn with a sari
hopper (hop-per)
fermented rice flour and coconut milk batter made into a bowl-shaped pancake with a crispy edge and a soft, spongy center
kahapana (kah-hah-pah-nu)
currency in early Sri Lankan kingdoms (third century BC)
Kattadiya (kat-tah-di-yaah)
a witch doctor, exorcist, or mediator between the worlds of humans and devils
kiribath (ki-ri-buth)
milk rice
maha (mah-hah)
bigger
Makara (ma-kuh-ruh)
a legendary sea creature
mandala (man-duh-luh)
various ritualistic geometric designs symbolic of the universe
mehendhi (meh-he-n-dih)
ancient art of decorating the skin using henna paste; a word of North Indian origin that has influenced the Sri Lankan culture over the years
pani walalu (páni w?l-luh-lu)
a sweet made by deep-frying vigna mungo, or urad bean, flour batter in a circular flower shape, then soaking in sugar syrup
raejina (rá-jih-na)
queen
raban (ra-baa-nuh)
one-sided traditional drum
raja (ra-juh)
king
saaluwa (saah-lu-wuh)
a shawl-like scarf
sari (sah-ri)
fabric arranged over the body as a robe, with one end attached to the waist, while the other end rests over one shoulder, sometimes baring a part of the midriff
sari pota (s??ri-potuh)
the loose end of a sari
sarong (sá-rong)
a large length of fabric wrapped around the waist and typically worn by men
seeni sambal (see-ni sam-bhal)
a caramelized onion chutney or relish, with flavors that are spicy, sweet, and aromatic
stupa (stoo-puh)
a dome-shaped structure containing relics that is used as a place of meditation
thaththa (thah-th-thah)
dad
tovil (toe-vil)
healing ritual
yak berayuh (yak-be-ruh-yuh)
cylindrical drum used to accompany dance sequences
Yakka (yah-kah)
demons of Sri Lankan folklore
yala (yah-luh)
lesser