An keliya, hook tugging, is a purely religious game for invoking
the aid of the goddess Pattini during epidemics. The udu pila and
yati pila teams meet at the Angpitiya or tugging field which has a
strong tree , the angha groving in it. A rectangular pit is dug
within 1 1/2 yards of this tree and lined with planks and in it is
placed bottom upwards the smoothened bulbous base of a coconut
palm with a hole bred through it for passing a tuggling rope.This
is the Hena Kanda or vali gaha and the pit is Sufficiently long to
permit it to swing back and forth.
The two hooks or Ang(horns) either made from the heartwood of some
storng timber such as iron wood. or tamarind or from the base with
brow tine of a sambhur antler are then brought by their respective
teams. Each hook has a cross bar attached to its handle. A strong
ring of liane termed the peraha is fixed to the base of the Angha
and another to the base of the Hena kanda. A circle of rope is
next taken and one end of it looped and passed between the Hena
kanda and the perha ring.
A transverse bar Ang mola, is next passed through the lover end of
the loop to prevent it from being pulled out of the liana ring and
the transverse bar at the handdle of the udu pila team,s hook is
similarly attached to the ring up on the angha. Eventully both
hooks are interlocked and a man sometimes stands astride of them
with a foot on each rope circle to prevent the hooks from
disengaging during the play of the hena kanda as it swings back
and forth during the tugging imparting a series of shattering
jerks to the interlocked hooks.
Both teams tug vigorously in the same direction upon a rope
inserted through the hole drilled in the hena Kanda. The tugging
is stopped at intervals and the hooks inspected for signs of
damage. Directly such are detected the damege hook is declared
vanquished and the Winning teams parades in triumph singing
jeering songs at the vanquished. A name is conferred upon the
victorious hook and it is set side for another occasion
source: from the book of some sinhala combative, field and aquatic
sports and games
by P.E.P.
Deraniyagala
