In Sri Lanka ‘generosity stalls’ (dansals) have been a significant component of Buddhist festivals such as Vesak (commemorating the Buddha's birth, awakening and death) for many centuries. The ancient kings provided free food, drink and medicine for their citizens on festival days. In modern Sri Lanka a dansal can be set up by anyone. Often neighbours or friends team up to collect money and organize the preparation of food and its distribution. These food stalls offer anything from soft drinks and ice cream to full meals of rice and curry. It is not only Buddhists who enjoy the free food or get involved in the organization of a dansal but also Hindus, Christians and Muslims. The video is part of a set of documentaries which look at the cosmology that emerges from the kitchens of Sri Lanka. The project was in part funded by the Leverhulme Trust.
