Journal Press India^®

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Heritagization can be defined as the process of heritage making and events are highly qualified performances for the display of heritage. This study attempts to test the hypothesis that there is a heritagization of weddings in Sinhala-Buddhist society of Sri Lanka during the last decades and present through changing patterns of wedding costumes. It is also intended to understand the ideological setting for this phenomenon. The researcher used a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to collect data. Respondents were Sinhala Buddhists who have conducted their weddings between 1980 AD & 2021 AD and who are willing to conduct their weddings within this decade. Responses for the questionnaire were obtained from 500 respondents representing 100 weddings for each decade and 50 in-depth interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed using a simple statistical method and content analysis. There was a preference for Western full suits and sari with the veil in the 1980s’. After, gradual alternation, a drastic change of the pattern occurred between 2010 – 2020 AD with the dominance of 18th & 19th CAD Kandian elite dress and Kandian osari with heritage values. This may have been geared by the demand for glorifying heritage in a highly contested ground of ethno-religious identity in post-war Sri Lanka.

Keywords

Event studies, Heritage studies, Heritagization, Social impact of events, Weddings

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