Perahera festival

Before coming to Sri Lanka I've already heard a lot about Perahera festival. It turned out that there are plenty Peraheras during the year, however the Kandy Perahera is the most fabulous and significant one.

So what does it mean Perahera? This Sinhalese word means Procession or more precisely Holy Procession. It is quite evident that Perahera originated in India and continued throughout in Sri Lanka in the month of Esala (July/August) with royal patronage and intense religious fervor. These annual celebrations of Sacred Tooth of Buddha is to invoke blessings of the gods to give the farmers rain to cultivate their crops. Basically, this ritual is performed by carrying the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha through the city streets which is done with great ceremony. However, this event is not only a religious ritual but also a folk festival which provides an occasion for local artistes and the multi-racial populace to exhibit their reverence and devotion to the enlightened one - the Buddha and to Gods and Goddesses. (I know that there is couple of them, unfortunately I am bad with the names).

The phenomenal thing about the Perahera is not procession as such, but all framing – colourful costumes of Kandyan dancers, hundred elephants with the custodians and other officials dressed in the traditional Sinhalese attire, music and beating of at least three types of drums and the sound of blowing conch shells and whip cracking, which increases your excitement. During this astonishing event I felt like to be taken back in time machine.

This is one side of Perahera, the other one is the security issue. There were few check points, every white person of course was looking suspicious for military service. The police officers on duty had to make a great effort continuously to control the big crowd. It was a huge task indeed. Even “people traffic” needed to be controlled, because Sri Lankan were not able to walk just on the one side and give a room for the others. People during whole Perahera route were sitting on polythene sheets, which you can buy for 20 RS each. Mandy was real smart as she took garbage bags, so during procession we were sitting on them or staying on them. Every 30 minutes the police enforce you to sit, so you can not stand just sit being squeezed by the crowd which is pushing you from all sides. Again, I stepped out from my comfort zone and decreased my “cultural distance”.

Again, Sri Lanka surprised me with all cobra, mask and poya dances. I was amazed by all Kandyan dancing steps and the way of movement in particular dance. Maybe I will try to learn some steps, why not?:)

p.s You can find separate album with pictures from Perahera festival