The Sri Dalada Esala Perahera of the Sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy will commence with the first Kumbal Perahera parading the streets this evening (August 10).
The Kumbal Perahera is scheduled to continue until August 14, followed by the first Randoli Perahera, which will begin on August 15 and parade the streets for five days until August 19.
The Kandy Esala Festival will conclude with the traditional water-cutting ceremony at the Mahaweli River in Getambe on August 31.
This year’s Esala Festival will officially end after the Nilames, along with the Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth Relic, Pradeep Nilanga Dela, present the Sannasa (Scroll) to the President.
The ‘Kap Situweema’ ceremony of the Kandy Esala Perahera was held on the morning of August 5, officially marking the commencement of the procession, followed by a five-day internal procession of the ‘Satara Maha Dewalayas.’
A total of 40 elephants are expected to participate in this year’s Kandy Esala Perahera, according to Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Police have implemented special security measures, with 6,000 police officers deployed in Kandy city to ensure the safety of the public during the perahera season.
