What is the meaning of Esala Perahera?
procession
Quick Reference. Sinhalese term meaning the ‘procession of the full moon of Esala’ and being the Sri Lankan version of the Āsāḷha Pūjā. The procession takes place in the course of a festival held in July or August in Kandy.
Who started Esala Perahera?
The Esala Perahera which is thought to date back to the 3rd century BC, was a ritual enacted to request the gods for rainfall. While the Dalada Perahera is believed to have begun when the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka from India during the 4th Century AD.
How many elephants are in Kandy Perahera?
Have you ever wondered how many elephants take part in the Kandy Perahera? Then we have an approximate answer for you – It is the only Perahera in the world which is held with the participation of more than fifty elephants and tuskers adorned with ceremonial costumes, hundreds of drummers, dancers and singers.
What is perahera called in English?
Sinhalese term meaning ‘parade’ or ‘procession’. The best known perahera is the Esala Perahera held in Kandy at the time of the full moon of the months of July/August. See also Duruthu perahera.
Where is Esala Perahera celebrated?
Kandy
The Kandy Esala Perahera (the Sri Dalada Perahara procession of Kandy) also known as The Festival of the Tooth is a festival held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Why do elephants have an important role in the Kandy Perahera?
The Kandy Period (18th century) Elephants were used for religious purposes including donations to temples and the Esala Perahera of Kandy commenced in this period. According to Culavamsa, elephants were among the offerings to temples by King Vijaya Rajasingha (1739-1747) at least twice and once offered an Figure 2.
How many days do you need in Esala Perahera?
The Esala Perahera, the annual 10-day torchlight parade of dancers and drummers, dignitaries, and ornately decorated elephants, commemorates the sacred tooth; it is now one of the better-known festivals in Asia, and it may be the largest Buddhist celebration in the world.
How is the Kandy Esala Perahera celebrated?
The ten-day Kandy Esala Perahera is marked by a variety of festivals. A procession of musicians, dancers, singers, acrobats, and other entertainers, accompanied by a huge number of caparisoned Tuskers and Elephants, parades the streets in celebration of a religious occasion in Sinhalese.
Why do Elephants have an important role in the Kandy Perahera?
How many days does Perahera Sri Lanka Festival last?
The Esala Perahera is considered one of the most important Buddhist religious pageants in the world. It is held for 9 days in July and August every year in Kandy by the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic), Sri Lanka.
Who brought the tooth relic to Sri Lanka?
Literary sources indicate that the sacred Tooth Relic was received by king Vimaladharmasuriya 1 with great veneration and placed in the new three-storied shrine built by him near the royal palace.