Kandy - Sri Lanka

The festival as it is today is equally as elaborate and colourful as the original one centuries ago. The Esala Perahera lasts for ten days in August and is an annual event that both Sri Lankans and tourists alike attend every year. The time-honoured tradition culminates in a celebration of the full moon, and one of the main attractions of this festival is the elaborate elephant parade through the streets of Kandy. During the festival celebration, the Sacred Tooth is carried from the Dalada Maligawa temple and paraded through the streets of the city. The tooth is transported in a golden casket and carried by a procession consisting of richly decorated elephants. You will also see many performers joining in with the celebrations, from acrobats juggling fire and musicians, to torchbearers, dancers, barefoot pilgrims and swordsmen. As dusk hits, a great cannon will boom and the parades begin.

Additional Kandy information

• Kandy
• Sites in the City of Kandy
• The Victoria Golf Club - Rajavella Kandy
• Banks & Financial
• The Esala Perahera
• What to expect at the festival...