Grand Esala Perahera in Sri Lanka

July is the peak of the travel season. People go tobut later returned back to Sri Lanka. After the
Cypress, Hurghada or Antalya. Some choosecountry was captured by the Portuguese the relic
more refined and more expensive destinations.was moved to Goa. The archbishop of Goa
But if you want your vacations to be trulyordered to burn it, but, according to the legend,
memorable, you simply have to go to Sri Lanka.the tooth turned into a star and rose to the sky.
From the country's capital. Colombo, you can getThen, in the XVI century, the tooth again
to its former capital, Kandy, which offersreturned to Sri Lanka and is now kept in the Sri
something unique in July - Esala Perahera festival.Dalada Maligawa temple.
Esala Perahera is probably the most grandioseDuring celebrations the box with a tooth is affixed
buddhistic holiday, during which day and night ato the Maligawa Elephant, decorated with precious
huge procession moves around the city. Bannersstones. In the course of the festival the elephant
stream above the crowd and at night there aresteps proudly on a silk carpet, surrounded by
torches illuminating the streets. All the participantsdancers in sparkling costumes. They are followed
of the parade are dressed in colourful nationalby a procession of no less than a hundred of
costumes, the procession itself starts 10 dayselephants, musicians, dancers and drummers.
before the full moon and ends with the full moonBefore the procession starts, there are religious
night.ceremonies held in four Kandy temples, dedicated
According to historic documents, the festivalto gods Natha, Vishnu, Katharagama and the
began as a simple royal procession and hadgoddess Pattini. The principal part of the
nothing to do with religion. However, in XVIIIceremony is a Jack tree planting on temples'
century it got a religious tinge. This was the timeterritory.
when the action was focused on the Sri DaladaEach night the procession becomes longer and
Maligawa (or Temple of the Tooth). This is thelonger. More and more people, dancers, drummers
temple where the main Sri Lanka's relic, Buddha'sand torch-bearers join it. On the last night the
Tooth, is kept. The temple has a smallprocession turns into a grand action, with dancing,
underground part where a big gilded mortar ismusic and fireworks. And, of course, there are
kept. Through the mortar doors one can lookhigh officials of each temple participating in the
insight. There, in two golden vessels set one intoevent. But the most respectful people are
another, in a box decorated with precious stones,acolytes of the Temple of the Tooth.
Buddha's Tooth is kept. Visitors to the templeFinally the eleventh day comes when Diya
(except for Buddhist hierarchs) aren't allowed toKepeema, the water cutting ceremony at the
look at it. But once a year, during Perahera, theMahaweli River at Getambe is organised. The
relic leaves the temple and appears on the cityceremony symbolizes prosperity and health. And
streets.then Perahera returns back to the temple.
The story of this relic deserves a separateHaving come to Sri Lanka, you also have a
narrative, depicted in frescos on one of thechance to see the island's ancient cities, eat lots
temple's walls. One of Buddha's pupils took theof pineapples and other tropic fruits, and finally,
tooth from the funeral fire. In the IV century thehave rest by the Indian Ocean. However, even if
tooth was transported to Sri Lanka by one Indianyour vacations are not in July, don't be upset -
princess. It was first kept in a special temple,weather is always good in Sri Lanka. At least the
Anuradhapura, and when another city became acountry's capital, Colombo, is always ready to
capital, the relic was moved to that city, and eachmeet you.
time a new temple was built for it. In 1288 theGo to Colombo hotels reservation to book a
larger part of the country was conquered byroom in Colombo hotel.hotelsrates.net - online hotel
Tamils and the tooth was taken to India again,reservation.