Sri Dalada Perahara
The Sri Dalada Perahera or the Esala Perahera is one of Sri Lanka’s most glorious cultural and religious processions, which is held annually in Kandy to honor the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. This centuries-old festival, celebrated in July or August, is a glorious spectacle of Sri Lanka’s ancient traditions, with decorated elephants, traditional dancers, drummers, fire dancers, and whip crackers.
The pomp and grandeur of the procession is finally capped by the Maligawa Tusker, an elephant carrying the golden casket containing the sacred relic within, symbolizing the religious and cultural essence of the festival. The Esala Perahera is a ten-day celebration that begins with the Kumbal Perahera, which increases in beauty step by step, and concludes with the Randoli Perahera, the most magnificent of all the processions.
The festival is rooted deeply in both Buddhist and Kandyan tradition, for it is believed to bestow blessings on the people, the country, and the nation. The procession originates from the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) and proceeds along the streets of Kandy, captivating thousands of foreign as well as local tourists. Apart from the main Perahera, there are also Devala peraheras, which represent the four guardian deities of Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama, and Pattini, with a blend of Buddhist and ancient Sri Lankan traditions being added to the celebration.
The Sri Dalada Perahera is a religious ceremony, a magnificent cultural pageant, and thus one of the most anticipated and awe-inspiring festivals of Sri Lanka.