Esala Perahera: Experience the Festival of the Tooth

Experiencing Sri Lanka's biggest festival? And have the chance to catch a glimpse of an authentic tooth of Buddha? We couldn't miss this opportunity!

Heading to the city of Kandy for the Esala Perahera festival.

While we're not fond of crowds-getting lost in the sea of people isn't exactly our cup of tea-when we chose to travel to Sri Lanka, we discovered that our travel dates coincided with one of the island's biggest festivals... and we intentionally decided to attend!

Esala Perahera in Sri Lanka is somewhat like the carnival in Rio: so deeply rooted in local culture that missing it would mean losing a significant part of the country.

Along with the Sinhala New Year festival (in April), Esala Perahera is the largest celebration on the island, drawing a large number of people to key cities: Kandy (in the central mountains) and Kataragama (on the southeast coast).

Located in the heart of Sri Lanka, this city holds particular significance for the Sinhalese, with some still considering it the capital (as it was the heart of the last Sinhalese kingdom). It is regarded as the religious capital of the island.

In recent years, the evolution of Kandy seems to have followed an exponential curve. The peaceful haven has modernized significantly, bringing along the noise and pollution that comes with it.

And during the Esala Perahera period, the number of attendees seems to multiply endlessly, along with the number of tuk-tuks and surrounding noise.

The most important temple in Kandy: the Temple of the Tooth, or Sri Dalada Maligawa in Sinhalese. Started in the 18th century and completed in 1782, this temple was part of the royal palace of Kandy. Surrounded by a wall, it consists of several buildings: the Vahahitina Maligawa, Alut Maligawa, Sri Dalada Museum, and Mangul.

The heart of this temple-palace is, of course, the shrine (>). But don't be disappointed: it's impossible to see the famous tooth. It is protected by seven golden caskets nested within one another like Russian dolls. The only thing you can really see is the ceremonial spectacle, brought to life by a flute player and drummers.

Discovered in the funeral pyre of Gautama Buddha in Kushinagar in 543 BC, this tooth became an important relic in the Buddhist world, considered a symbolic representation of a living Buddha. The story of this tooth is tumultuous, involving moves between India and Sri Lanka and many twists in the very heart of the island.

Secretly transported to Sri Lanka and given to King Kirthi Sri Meghavarna, it was initially kept in Anuradhapura. Considered the king's property, it became a symbol of royal legitimacy. Therefore, whenever kings changed their capital, the tooth moved with them, ending up in a new shrine built systematically in front of the royal palace, in both Polonnaruwa and Dambadeniya.

During the troubled times of King Dharmapala of Kotte, who converted to Catholicism and the Portuguese invasion, the tooth (with a bounty placed on it by the king of Burma) was hidden and moved until the reconstruction of the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy... which did not mean a safe haven for the tooth, as this temple has been attacked twice since (by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna communists in 1989 and by Tamils in 1998).

In practice: the Temple of the Tooth Address: located on the northern shore of the lake. Hours: open daily from 6 AM to 8 PM; public ceremonies take place at 6 AM, 10 AM, and 7 PM Fees: 1,000 Rs

Notes Note 1: Theoretically, there's a fee to photograph (300 Rs) and to film (500 Rs), but despite our request, the man at the ticket counter didn't ask us for anything (the price for > is clearly displayed on the window of his booth). Note 2: You must leave your shoes next to the ticket counter; a free donation is requested when you collect your shoes back (many leave 20 Rs). Tip: if you're worried about burning the soles of your feet, bring a pair of socks in your bag! Note 3: Before passing through the first gates around the palace, a control point checks if your outfit is appropriate (knees, shoulders, and belly covered) and that you're not carrying anything dangerous (water and cameras are permitted). Note 4: If you wish to do > and fully respect the rituals and customs of the Sinhalese, dress in white (especially during ceremonies and festivals for Esala Perahera).

The Temple of the Tooth is protected by four deities. Each of these deities is honored in a temple located around the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy:

This great Buddhist festival, held between late July and early August, celebrates the anniversary of Buddha's first sermon. The core of this celebration lasts about ten days and is organized around long processions (> meaning > in Sinhalese).

For centuries, the ceremonies of these processions have been carried out in the same way, and being part of it is a great honor. Generations come together in these ceremonies, with the younger participants joining their elders to ensure the continuity of the tradition.

Historically, the Esala Perahera ritual was a message to the gods, asking them to bring rain.

Nowadays, the modern Esala Perahera is considered a fusion of two different >: Esala and Dalada, the latter beginning when the Tooth arrived in Sri Lanka.

The modern Esala Perahera is linked to King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe of Kandy (17th century), who regarded the tooth as his private property and allowed it to be paraded during the Perahera so the people could see and venerate it once a year.

Esala Perahera consists of four major stages.

Four days before the festivities begin, a blessed jackfruit is planted in the grounds of each of the four temples dedicated to the protective deities of the island. During these ceremonies, offerings are also made: flowers of nine species and an oil lamp with nine wicks, to attract the blessings of the deities.

The festival really begins! For 5 days, processions leave from the temples of the protective deities to merge and form a grand procession to the Temple of the Tooth.

The relics of the sacred tooth, a substitute for the Tooth of Buddha, are carried by a large male elephant, the Maligawa.

This phase of the festival gets its name > from the palanquins used by the queens of Kandy.

For 5 days, the substitute of the relic of the Tooth is carried by the Maligawa at the head of the procession. The long procession features many dancers, fire jugglers, acrobats, flag bearers, musicians... and elephants just as costumed as the other participants in the festival.

Thousands of Sinhalese gather in Kandy to witness these two central parts of the Esala Perahera festival, Kumbal Perahera and Randoli Perahera.

The final day closing this grand celebration takes place during the day (to change from the nighttime processions) on the full moon day, with the heart of the festival occurring along the banks of the Mahaweli Ganga, in Getambe.

We arrive full of excitement in Kandy on the very first day of the festivities, thrilled to witness the beginning of this grand festive tradition.

Expecting to find spots in the city before the start of the processions, we leave our hotel across the lake, enjoying a lovely stroll to admire the colors and lights adorning the city. The center of Kandy seems to have transformed into a Christmas tree!

We arrive at the entrance of the center > 3 hours early. There's no way to move; the police are securing the area and managing traffic with a stern demeanor. Disappointed, we still await the start of the parade, hoping to catch a glimpse... and that's truly all we get. The beat of the drums resonates throughout the city under the sporadic applause of spectators. At times, we catch a glimpse of flames or the movement of an elephant's ear in its colorful costume.

To give ourselves the best chance, we decided to find our > in the afternoon. All around us, women and children are already laying their camp on the sidewalks. Some are napping directly on the ground to reserve their space. It's 1 PM, and the parade won't start until 7:30 PM. How can we compete with such fervor?

We spot the Pizza Hut, ideally located, but all the inside tables have long been reserved! We settle for the seats on their terrace to ensure we can fully enjoy the show.

At the beginning of the evening, we're at our posts, ready to wait... The atmosphere is electric, the last vehicles are being cleared from the streets, and street vendors are taking over. It's full of shouting and laughter: a concentration of life in the streets of Kandy!

Time passes, and nothing happens. Finally, around 7:30 PM, the first sounds are heard. It's the men wielding whips, cracking them in rhythm to attract the attention of an audience already captivated. Then come the fire jugglers, dancing with torches in an acrobatic ballet. And finally, we spot our first elephant. Dressed up, it wears a colorful costume adorned with shimmering lights. It moves with a heavy gait, keeping pace with the dancers. Then dancers, musicians, and elephants follow in quick succession. This procession seems never-ending!

The costumes of both the men and elephants amaze me: what attention to detail, what craftsmanship! Some dancers, acrobats, and musicians are even young children: sometimes clumsy, but full of enthusiasm and determination to prove themselves.

After a while, I finally understand why there were only women around us waiting in the streets: all the men of Kandy seem to be participating in the procession!

Despite my amazement, I cannot help but feel a pang in my heart watching those elephants passing by, chains around their legs, flanked by men armed with hooks, like slaves cheered on against their will... But for the owners of these elephants, who come from other temples or their plantations and forests throughout the country, it is a great honor to have their elephant selected to participate in this ritual.

By chance, since our itinerary was never planned before the trip, we passed through Kandy again after touring the south of the island. We arrived just in time for the last day of the festivities to witness the end of the Diya Kepeema procession!

Interesting to see the daytime costumes and note that the elephants' costumes are different from those at night (no bulbs, but decorations that shine in sunlight).

Note: The effect of this daytime procession is much less impressive than those at night. If you have the opportunity, aim for the central phases: Kumbal Perahera and Randoli Perahera.

For those looking for a sure and > way to attend the procession, restaurants, hotels, and merchants rent numbered seats with views of the streets where the procession will pass. Most > require you to be seated in your places by 5:30 PM.

For the more adventurous who aren't afraid of crowds: there's no need to pay for a reserved seat. You just have to arrive early enough (and/or be lucky!) and sit on the sidewalk a few hours before the start. I met some tourists who were invited by Sinhalese people to sit near them, happy to share this festive moment with a foreigner who, in return, offered the children one or another trinket sold by the street vendors bustling before the procession.

Practical Tips: Bring water with you; you might not need food, as street vendors will be passing by until the last moment before the start of the processions. Also be prepared for rain (just in case), but not for the cold: between the humid heat, the density of the crowd, and the flaming torches, it's warm enough! Also make sure your battery is fully charged to take photos; avoid using the flash: at that distance, it's useless and bothers all the other spectators!

Kandy is an unmissable city in Sri Lanka, with its charm and drawbacks... It took us a few days to feel comfortable in this vibrant city, which, ultimately, we never saw outside of the Esala Perahera festivities.

One thing is for sure, the spectacle of the Esala Perahera processions will remain one of our best memories of Sri Lanka!

And you, have you ever traveled to Kandy and attended the Esala Perahera? Any anecdotes or tips to share?

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