Kandy Esala Perahera
Sri Lanka’s most prominent festival is the magnificent Kandy Esala Perahera, held in the Hill capital of Kandy over 10 days in late July or early August and climaxing on Esala Poya. The perahera’s origins date back to the third century BC, but the modern event originated in the mid 18th Century when the kandyan king decreed that once a year the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, kept at the Dalada Maligawa or temple of tooth, should be displayed in a procession for the people to venerate.
Nallur Kandasamy Kovil Festival
The Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil Temple Festival, held in August, is a vibrant Hindu festival celebrated in Jaffna. Devotees gather at the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, one of the most significant Hindu temples in Sri Lanka, to seek blessings from Lord Murugan. Colourful processions, elaborate rituals, and cultural performances are the highlights of this festival.
