17/05/2023
Welcome to Sri Lanka
The Kandy Esala Perahera also known as The Festival of the Tooth is a festival held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This historical procession is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha, which is housed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. A unique symbol of Sri Lanka, the procession consists of traditional local dances such as fire dances and performances in whip-dance garments. For the next five nights, the "Devale Perahera" take place within the premises of the four Deval’s with the priest of each Devale taking the pole every evening, accompanied by music and drumming, flag and canopy bearers, spearman, and the Ran Ayudha (gold Armaments), the sacred insignia of the Gods.On the sixth night, the Kumbal Perahera begins and continues for five days. Initially, the Devale Peraheras assemble in front of the Temple of the Tooth, which is Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist Shrine and where the Buddha's Sacred Tooth Relic has been kept since the 16th century, with their insignias placed on the ransivige (a dome-like structure) accompanied by the Basnayake Nilame (the lay custodians of the Devale). The relic casket, which is a replica of the Tooth Relic, is placed inside the ransivige affixed to the Maligawa Elephant, the Maligawa Perahera joins the awaiting Devale Perahera and leads the procession. Whip-crackers and fireball acrobats clear the path, followed by the Buddhist flag bearers. Then, riding on the first elephant is the official called Peramuna Rala (Front Official). He is followed by Kandyan Drummers and Dancers who enthral the crowd, and are themselves followed by elephants and other groups of musicians, dancers and flag bearers. A group of singers dressed in white heralds the arrival of the Maligawa Tusker carrying the Sacred Tooth Relic. The Diyawadana Nilame (traditionally required to do everything in his power to ensure rain in the correct season) walks in traditional Kandyan-clothed splendour after the tusker. The festival ends with the traditional Diya-kepeema ritual, a water cutting ceremony which is held at the Mahaweli River at Getambe,Kandy.
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