Vesak, Poson and Esala poya days are important festivals for Buddhists.
The Kandy Esala Perahera is an important event which falls in August. King Wimaladharmasuriya started the Esala Perahera and King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe the Sathara Devala Peraheras. The Kandy Esala Perahera is held to respect the Sacred Tooth Relic of The Buddha, for protection from natural disasters and to gain prosperity.
The first five nights of the Perahera is known as the Kumbal Perahera and the following five nights as the Randoli Perahera. The festival ends with the Diya Kapana Perahera.
People believe that Randoli is the most beautiful perahera. Watching the first Kumbal Perahera is good for students who engage in studies.
I can’t express my ideas about the Kandy Esala perahera in words. But I think it is my duty to write about the Perahera to you, as a child living in the Kandy area. I invite all of you to watch this beautiful event.
Imasha Sithmini Gunarathne,
Grade 8,
Mahamaya Girls’ College,
Kandy.