The coconut is symbolic of prosperity, and the nut was orginallt
utilized fora purely religious ceramany in honor of the goddess
Pattini, the consort of the hindu god Shiva, the term "Pattini"signifying
"Wife". Every district Would be divided in to either anorthern and
Southern section, or as the left and right banks of the river,
and, these contest Were staged between the two to ward off disease
or ensure fertility to crops. The northern section was termed the
"udu pila" the southern, the "yati pila", and if the former Won it
protended a continuation of the sicknes. The captains or "Pol
vattadiyas" of the two teams, having celected their heaps of
coconut, stand on opposite side of a line drawn in the sand.
A coconut from the yati pila heap is hurled at the face of the
striker of the udu pila team who it with a nut held both hands.
This is continued untill the striker,s nut cracks with the impact
of a coconut hurled from the yati pila Captian be come the
striker.
This continues untill all the nuts of one team have been cracked,
Whereupon it is adjudged to be the loser. The pitch is 50 feet
long. From this religious ceremony arose the common betting game
Which varies throughout the country
source: from the book of some sinhala combative, field and aquatic
sports and games
by P.E.P.
Deraniyagala
