Time Nearing for the Kandy Esala Perahera 2022 – A Not to Be Missed Annual Festival

The time-honoured festival known as the Kandy Esala Perahera in Sri Lanka is set to take place soon and will give visitors a chance to witness one of the country’s most stunning cultural events. It will be held in July or August (dates to be confirmed) and those staying at villas in Kandy of properties the likes of Hanthana Boutique Villa by Amaya can easily experience the festivities. The Esala Perahera pays homage to a sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha that’s housed in a temple called the Sri Dalada Maligawa; the event also honours the four ‘guardian’ deities namely the Gods Kataragama, Vishnu and Natha and the Goddess Pattini.

The Kandy Esala Perahera runs for 10 days with various religious events and cultural activities; amongst the key highlights are the various processions that take place through the city with the main one being the Randoli Perahera with the sacred tooth relic. Apart from elephants decked in colourful garbs, this grand procession also features drummers, fire dancers, jugglers, musicians and more making it a must-see spectacle.