The Kandy Esala Perahera, also known as the Festival of the Tooth, is one of the most colourful festivals in the country held annually in August. Processions of floats and participants wearing historical costumes dancing traditional Kandyan, fire and whip dances and accompanied by elephants, also adorned with garments pay homage to the sacred relic of the tooth of Lord Buddha kept in the Temple of the Tooth, Sri Dalada Maligawa. Each day, processions will start from the premices of one of the four Devales representing the four guardian Goods: Natha, Vishnu, Katharagama, and the goddess Pattini.
Kandy is a major city of the Central Province and the last capital of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka. It is widely recognized as a cultural capital of Sri Lanka and is listed by UNESCO in their World Heritage list. Sitting about 500 m above the sea level, it enjoys cool climate throughout the year and is a popular trekking destination.
The distance from Colombo to Kandi is under 150 km but it takes no less that 3 hours to get to Kandy either by bus or by train.
Kandy Hosts Esala Perahera Festival
News in Asia
Traditional Kap ceremony held on August 13th heralded the start of the historic Esala Perahera festival in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The most large-scale Buddhist processions in Sri Lanka will take place from August, 16th till August, 25th this year.