RPS.LAM The Perahera To start this slideshow click on this picture – once it starts you can advance each slide by clicking on it or wait and it will advance automatically after 6 seconds To exit this slideshow use the Back Arrow on your Browser to return to our Sri Lanka Wedding Webpage The Kandy Perahera, which takes place over 2 weeks every August, is one of the most spectacular pageants in SE Asia. The event dates back to the 4 th century and its purpose was to carry the devala, the shrine containing the sacred relic, Buddha’s Tooth, so that the population could pay homage. The relic is kept in the Dalada Maligawa ( The Temple of the Tooth) and these days, for security reasons, it is a replica of the shrine that forms the climax of the procession. The Shrine is carried on a magnificent tusked elephant ( known as The Tusker) which is adorned with colourful cloth and these days rows of coloured light bulbs. It walks on cloth carpet that is laid in front of it as moves. The Tusker is preceded by 4 other devalas, shrines to other deities. Each is followed by a train of dozens of colourfully draped elephants. The torch-lit procession also includes the traditional Kandyan Dancers, Whip Crackers, Devil Dancers, Drummers, Stick Dancers and Acrobats. There are different pageants each night, but the procession on the final night is truly spectacular. When the end of procession finally passes, all the people who have gathered to watch, follow as an excited, celebrating, crowd. Between the last two nights of the Perahera, there is a daytime event, when the elephants proceed to the Temple of the Tooth. I hope that these photographs, taken from one of The Queen’s Hotel balconies, give some impression of the scale and magnificence of the event.

Between the last two nights of the Perahera, there is a daytime event, when the elephants proceed to the Temple of the Tooth.

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