About Kandy Esala Perahera
The Esala Perahera, also known as the festival of the Sacred Tooth of Lord Buddha, is a magnificent celebration held every August in Sri Lanka. Renowned for its elaborate costumes and vibrant displays, this festival occurs in Kandy and has become a distinctive symbol of the nation. It is a Buddhist festival characterized by traditional dances and beautifully adorned elephants. Attendees can enjoy fire dances, whip dances, Kandyan dances, and numerous other cultural performances, while the elephants are often dressed in opulent garments.
The Esala Perahera in Kandy is thought to be a combination of two related processions: the Esala and the Dalada. The origin of the Esala Perahera dates back to the 3rd century BC, when rituals were performed to beseech the gods for rain. The Dalada Perahera commenced in the 4th century AD, following the arrival of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha to Sri Lanka from India.
The Sacred Tooth Relic was brought to the island by Princess Hemamala and Prince Dantha.
Modern Perahera
The modern version of the Perahera can be traced back to the reign of King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe of Kandy (1747 – 1781 AD). During his rule, the Tooth Relic was regarded as the king’s personal property, preventing the public from worshiping it. King Rajasinghe notably decreed that the Relic should be paraded for the masses to see and revere.
Following the British conquest of the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815, the custody of the Relic was transferred to the Buddhist clergy. In the absence of a king, a lay custodian known as the “Diyawadana Nilame” was appointed to manage day-to-day administrative responsibilities.
The Procession
The Kandy Esala Perahera begins with the ‘Kap Situveema’ or ‘Kappa,’ during which a consecrated young jackfruit tree is cut and planted in the grounds of each of the four Devales dedicated to the guardian gods: Natha, Vishnu, Katharagama, and Goddess Pattini. This ritual is traditionally intended to bless the king and the people.
The Kumbal Perahera
For the next five nights, the “Devale Peraheras” take place within the precincts of the four Devales. Each evening, the priest of each Devale leads a procession accompanied by music, drumming, flag and canopy bearers, spearmen, and the sacred insignia of the Gods, known as the Ran Ayudha.
On the sixth night, the Kumbal Perahera commences, lasting for five days. The Devale Peraheras gather in front of the Temple of the Tooth, Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist shrine, where the Sacred Tooth Relic has been housed since the 16th century. Their insignias are placed on the ransivige (a dome-like structure), supported by the Basnayake Nilames (lay custodians of the Devales).
A relic casket, which serves as a substitute for the Sacred Tooth Relic, is placed inside the ransivige and is carried by the Maligawa Elephant, a tusker. At around 8 PM, the Maligawa Perahera joins the other Devale Peraheras, leading the procession. Whip-crackers and fire-ball acrobats clear the way, followed by bearers of Buddhist flags. Riding on the first elephant is the Peramuna Rala (Front Official), accompanied by Kandyan drummers and dancers who captivate the audience, followed by more elephants, musicians, and dancers. A group of singers clad in white heralds the arrival of the Maligawa Tusker bearing the Sacred Tooth Relic, with the Diyawadana Nilame following in traditional Kandyan attire.
The second procession comes from the Natha Devale, known as the oldest building in Kandy, dating back to the 14th century, situated directly across from the Sri Dalada Maligawa.
Next is the procession from the Vishnu Devale (also known as the Maha Devale), which lies before the main gate of the Natha Devale.
The fourth procession is from the Katharagama Devale, dedicated to the God of Katharagama, who is associated with the warrior God Skanda. This procession features the Kavadi dance, where dancers carry semicircular wooden structures decorated with peacock feathers on their shoulders.
The final procession is from the Pattini Devale, dedicated to Pattini, the goddess associated with healing infectious diseases and invoked during times of drought and famine. This procession uniquely includes women dancers.
Key events during the festivities are signaled by cannon fire, echoing throughout Kandy:
1. The commencement of the Devale Peraheras
2. The placing of the casket on the tusker’s back
3. The start of the Dalada Perahera
4. The conclusion of the Perahera
The Randoli Perahera
The Randoli Perahera begins after the five nights of the Kumbal Perahera. ‘Randoli’ refers to the palanquins traditionally used by the queens of the ruling kings.
Diya Kepeema and the Day Perahera
After an additional five nights of the Randoli Perahera, the festivities culminate with the Diya Kepeema, or water cutting ceremony, at the Mahaweli River in Getambe, a town a few miles from Kandy. A Day Perahera is held to commemorate this ceremony.
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