Kandy Esala Perahera 2016 – A Vibrant Festival

Held every year in August, the Kandy Esala Perahera is a cultural pageant with a religious flavour that showcases an incredible number of ethnic dance acts, a number of exotically adorned elephants, magnificent drummers and rhythms that symbolizes the rains in all their glory of majestic sights and sounds. The origins of Kandy Esala Perahera dates back centuries when King Keerthi Sri Meghawanna first decreed that annual celebratory procession should traverse the streets carrying the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. To this day, for the devotees, the highlight of the Esala Perahera is the majestic tusker who carries a replica of this sacred tooth relic. Every year locals and tourists alike flock to Kandy during the months of July and August to witness the colourful procession. Those seeking Kandy hotels to time their holiday in the hills of Kandy during the Esala Perahera 2016 can check out Cinnamon Citadel Kandy. It is advisable to arrive early near the streets where the final procession will take place to witness this vibrant procession.