subject: The Beauty Of The Kandy Esala Perahara [print this page] The Kandy Esala Perahara is one of the most vibrant cultural processions held anywhere in the world, and is an event that every tourist that visits Kandy should experience. The procession, which is organized every year in honor of the Tooth Relic housed in the Temple of Tooth, has a very long history behind it. During the days of the Kandyan Kingdom before it annexed by the British colonialists, the procession was held under the auspices of the King.
The procession is as much a show that was meant to uplift the morale of the people as it was a celebration of religious faith. Historically it said that todays procession is actually a fusion of two separate procession that were held Dalada Maligawa in honor of the Tooth Relic and Esala, which was originally a parade that was meant to appease the gods so that the rains would fall on time. Whatever the origins may be, there is no denying the beauty of the bevy of dancers that parade the streets of Kandy during the month of August.
The Esala Perahara begins at a ceremony where a tree is planted in the four temples dedicated to the gods so that the King and the people may get their blessings to continue the procession. During the next five days, four separate processions from the temples parade the streets and on the sixth day they amalgamate in to one grand procession. This is known as the Kumbal Perahara, a procession which lasts the duration of the night and where a casket carrying the tooth relic is carried on the back of a tusker.
By far the most breathtaking event of the procession is not the fire dancers or the traditional Kandyan dancers that cartwheel all over the streets but the colorfully dressed up pachyderms that parade the streets in all their regal splendor. The pageant ends with a ceremony near the Mahaweli River and a small procession is held during the day to signify the end of the Perahara.
Regarded as one of the most moving cultural experiences in Sri Lanka, tourists can gaze upon the procession as it passes through the streets from their balconies. The Esala Perahara is just one of the many attractions in Kandy, a city filled many historic landmarks.
For more information on events such as this which bring them closer to the lives of locals visit the travel portal TrulySriLanka. This website provides in-depth and up-to-date information that would prove useful when planning your Sri Lanka travel itinerary.
by: Pushpitha Wijesinghe
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