Punsanda Nidan Wasthu (5 in 1) is a complete foundation-stone set for the traditional Sri Lankan ceremony held when building work on a house or other structure begins. It brings together the main foundation stone and the four corner stones, so a household has everything for the ritual in one purchase rather than assembling the pieces separately.
In Sri Lankan building practice the foundation main stone is the first stone laid in the masonry foundation, and many families treat the laying as a ceremonial occasion, timed for a moment they regard as auspicious. The Nidan Wasthu are the ritual objects placed with the stone as part of that ceremony.
This set holds a total of 58 separate Nidan Wasthu items from the Manjusava set. Among them are the Yantra Rajaya, a protective oil bottle, a fragrant incense pack, an elephant figure, a Naga figure, a Trishula, a Velayudhaya and a sword. In addition, 4 extra Manjusava Nidan Wasthu items are included for the four corners.
The set comes from Punsanda Industries, the Sri Lankan firm behind the Punsanda name. The cartons are printed in Sinhala, Tamil and English and carry the Punsanda emblem of a hare within the moon, with the words Srimath Nidan Wasthu on the front panel.
The set is offered as ceremonial material for a customary practice. How the items are arranged and when the stone is laid follow the family's own tradition and the guidance of whoever conducts the ceremony.
