Daha Ata Sanniya Live Painting Session – Colombo Medical Congress 2025

The Faculty of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo took part in the Colombo Medical Congress 2025, held from 25th to 28th November 2025. Among the many academic and cultural highlights of the congress, one of the most distinctive contributions was the Daha Ata Sanniya Live Painting Session, organized by the Department of Medical Humanities.

This session was conducted on 25 th November 2025 from 9.00 am in the Atrium of the UCFM Tower, a venue that provided an open and vibrant atmosphere for artistic expression. The event was designed to visually interpret and celebrate the traditional medical systems of Sri Lanka, with a particular focus on the ritualistic and symbolic dimensions of the Daha Ata Sanniya tradition.

Through live painting, participants brought to life the cultural narratives embedded in indigenous healing practices. Each artwork reflected not only the aesthetic beauty of the ritual but also its deeper significance in the history of Sri Lankan medicine. The session created a unique platform where art and medicine intersected, allowing audiences to appreciate how traditional knowledge continues to inspire modern perspectives on health and wellbeing. The academics and students from FIM demonstrated remarkable creativity and dedication in their portrayals. Individual representations such as Slesma Sanniya, Gedi Sanniya, and Deva Sanniya captured the symbolic essence of specific ritual figures, while the group art contributions (Maha Kola Sanniya) emphasized collective harmony and collaboration.

Together, these works highlighted the rich cultural heritage of indigenous medicine and its enduring relevance in contemporary academic and medical discourse.

Participants – Daha Ata Sanniya LIVE PAINTING Session
Academics –
Dr. Y.S.G. Wimalasiri – Senior Lecturer, FIM, UOC (Group Art)
Dr. P.A.S.N. Silva – Senior Lecturer, FIM, UOC (Group Art)

Students –
D.M. Tharuka Dewmine Appuhamy – 2023/A/4590 (Slesma Sanniya)
R.A. Dhananjaya Madusanka Rajapaksha – 2023/A/4660 (Gedi Sanniya)
S. Nisansala Madhumali – 2023/A/4639 (Deva Sanniya)
W. Subodhi Avishka Choolarathna – 2023/A/4747 (Group Art)
K.A. Udari Anjana Piyathissa – 2023/A/4759 (Group Art)