Esala Perahera is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka.
The Esala Perahera in Kandy is believed to be a fusion of two separate but interconnected “Peraheras” (Processions) – The Esala and Dalada. The Esala Perahera which is thought to date back to the 3rd century BC, was a ritual enacted to request the gods for rainfall. The Dalada Perahera is believed to have begun when the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka by Princess Hemamala & Prince Dantha from India during the 4th Century AD.
