Esala Perahera
(the procession of Esala) is the grand festival with elegant costumes held in July or August inKandy, Sri Lanka. It has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and colourfully decorated elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional diya-kepeema ritual, a water cutting ceremony which is held at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, Kandy.
I got the opportunity see the 1st "Kumbal" perahera on the 31st July 2014 with my family and relations. First we managed to see the Majestic tusker "NEDUNGAMUWA ETHA" who was one of the two tuskers chosen to carry the casket carrying the most sacred tooth relics of the Lord Buddha in this year's perahera worshiping with Lotus flowers in his trunk and then kneeling down in front of the Maligawa before climbing the steps and going inside to get ready .
Dressing the tusker takes hours and hard work but he is as patient as one can be...
Preparing the casket to place the "RAN AUDHA" at the Paaththini Devalaya....
Customery procession towards the tusker. takes place......
Crowds waiting eagerly in anticipation.......
The whip slashers notifying the arrival of the Maligawa main Perahera...
The FIRE TURNERS....
The Flag Bearers...
The pageant is given more glamour by the participation of Elephants....
The Drummers have their say....
These dancers make the pageant more colourful...
The small Elephants attract everyone's' attention and some swerve to to the beat of the drums....
Every one comes into attention when the Tusker arrives with the Sacred tooth relics accompanied by two elephants on both sides
The dancers are in full flow as the DIYA WADANA NILAME makes his way.....
After the main perahera passes by the four main Devala's pageant follows ,
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