Saparagamu dancing is closely associated with the ritual known as the Gam Maduwa, which is performed to propitiate a female deity called Pattini, a female godess . The purpose is to obtain a good harvest or to ward off evil or to be rid of and infectious disease.  

The saman devalya Annual Festi val display great number of Traditional Sabaragamuwa dancers who dance at the festival as a tribute to god Sumana Saman who is also the one of the four guardians of the island as well as the gardian of the buddism in sri Lanka.