A 'Poruwa' ceremony is where, a couple is wedded according to ancient Sinhalese custom. Robert Knox writing in the 16th Century AD refers to the custom of a couple being wedded, by making them stand on a wooden plank - 'Poruwa' - made out of a 'Jak' tree, after which the couple was pronounced man and wife. As the couple is descending from the 'Poruwa' a coconut is broken in half using a heavy kitchen knife and if it breaks clean, is said to be an auspicious beginning for the marriage.
The picture shows the coconut and knife on display, laid on betel leaves after a 'Poruwa' ceremony.
