authentic sri lankan festivals
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction
Sri Lanka's festivity offer guests the opportunity to encounter the assorted societies that shape the island's
character. The celebrations are an essential piece of life here, from the Buddhist celebration of Kandy Esala
Perahera – one of the nation's most fantastic customary celebrations – to the Catholic Madhu Church
Festival, and from the Hindu Vel celebration to the arrangement of occasions checking Ramadan; the nation's
real religions are all glamorously presented to all through street performances and gargantuan celebration of
successful harvest and religion-related experience seen in Vesak Festival.
The festivals of Sri Lanka are replete with smiles all around a people here are always smiling which add more
charm to the festivities. Local have an extraordinary lifestyle full of art, entertainment and music. All the
three aspects are clearly exhibited in their festivals. This is what the travellers love too. These festivals are
replete with bright and colourful traditions. However, one significant facet apart from these thrilling features
is that most of the festivals in Sri Lanka are closely related to the lunar calendar. There are four prime
religions in the island - Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam - all of which has different festivals to
celebrate their culture and traditions. Most of these festivals showcase some relation with the moon
calendar which is both significant and intriguing.
Traditional Sri Lankan festivals and pageants are held for religious or astrological reasons, with Buddhist and
Hindu cultures sharing the same solar and lunar calendars. In addition, Buddhists observe the Buddhist
Nirvana Calendar for religious events. If you happen to be visiting Sri Lanka when any one of these
spectacular festivals is due to take place, make sure to leave some space in your itinerary to witness
something a little out of the ordinary.
Sri Lankan Festivals
Vesak: Full Moon Festival of Sri Lanka
The significance of Vesak Full-Moon day is to celebrate the birth of Prince Siddhartha, the clan name of the
Gautama Buddha Shakyamuni in Lumbini, more than 2500 years ago, his Enlightenment (Nirvana) under the
Bodhi Tree at Buddha Gaya at his 35 years and his passing away (Parinirvana) at the age of 80, in Kusinagara
in India.
Similar to all full moon days, the monks and nuns meditate and chant hymns in praise of the Holy Triple Gem;
The Buddha, The Dharma (his teachings) and The Sangha (his disciples). Also, they recite "Sutras", records of
the oral teachings of Buddha, to invoke blessings and happiness to all beings.
Devotees bring offerings of flowers, candles and incense-sticks to lie at the feet of Buddha.
These symbolic offerings, called "Puja" are to remind devotees that just as the beautiful flowers would wither
away after a short while, the candles and incense-sticks would soon burn out, so too is life subject to change,
decay and destruction.
In Sri Lanka, all Buddhists endeavour to lead a noble life according to the "Dharma" by making daily
affirmations to observe the Five Precepts.
However, on a special day like Vesak, they gather to temples dressed in simple white before dawn, where
they observe "Sil", the Eight Precepts and spend whole day there.
Glamorous Esala Perahera Festival
The famous Kandy Perahara is an experience not to be missed. It is held in August during Esala full moon, so
the Perahara is also referred to as the Kandy Esala Perahera. The main attraction is the Dalada Maligawa
Tooth relic. Sri Lanka hotels are chock full of tourists and local visitors during this time and usually help
organize tickets and other essentials for the event.
Hinduism has been so integrated in the Sri Lankan culture that you find Hindu gods at Buddhist temples and
the Kataragama devale is the perfect melting pot of the two. Hindu devotees visit seeking the protection of
the God Skanda to whom the devale is dedicated. Buddhists visit Kiri Vehera stupa within the devale
premises, said to be one of the sixteen places visited in Sri Lanka by Buddha. Visit it during your Sri Lanka
attractions escapade make the time of the Kataragama festival and be privileged to witness the Hindu
devotees fulfilling vows with fire walking and piercings. A rarer sight would be a devotee hung from
scaffolding by hooks.
The festival commences with nightly processions over 10 days and culminates in a day procession on the
eleventh. Hundreds of costumed dancers, drummers, musicians, torch-bearers, whip-crackers, acrobats and
other participants parade along the streets, while colourfully caparisoned elephants pace majestically past.
Prepare all your camera batteries as this parade will give you astonishing performances that other key cities
don’t have.
Catholic Madhu Church Festival
About 300kms away from the capital city of Colombo, in the North Western district of Mannar, lies the
Madhu Church. It's a church consecrated to the Virgin Mary and is venerated especially by the Catholics of
the land. It's a jungle shrine, less visited when it's not festival time. Every year, there are three festival
seasons observed by this church.
They are held in the months of July, September and October. Mannar, the arid land where the Madhu church
is located, is very rich in folk-lore and legend. Prince Vijaya called this land "Thambapanni" when he saw the
copper coating on his palms where he touched the shore when he landed here. According to Ramayanam,
the monkey ally, Hanuman and Prince Ram landed in Lanka at this spot when he came in search of Sita. A
Muslim shrine exists at a spot at which it is believed that Adam and Eve are buried. Mannar is also considered
one of the oldest sea ports in the island. In past eras it was known as Mahathittha. The Portuguese too built a
fort here.
he presence of the Hindu temple Thiruketheswarm, the Muslim shrine where Adam and Eve rest, and the
Madhu church make this area well worth visiting. Thousands of devotees camp out in the nearby jungle
during the festival seasons. It's an important point to interact with the local population. After a period of
about 30 years of war, the area is once more open to tourists. The legendary Adam's bridge on which
hanuman's army is said to have crossed over to Lanka and on which Adam and Eve who were banished from
paradise also crossed over to Lanka, lies according to legend somewhere close to the Second Eden. To the
west of the south point is a chain of reefs with an abandoned light house.
Ramazan (Ramadan: eid ul fitr)
Ramazan (also known as Ramadan) is the ninth month of the Islamic (Lunar) calendar. The word itself derived
from an Arabic word for intense heat, scorched ground, and shortness of rations. It is considered the most
venerated and blessed month of the Islamic year. Prayers, sawm (fasting), charity, and self-accountability are
especially stressed at this time; religious observances associated with Ramazan are kept throughout the
month.
Indulgence of any sort is forbidden during the fast. There are only a few who are exempt, e.g., soldiers, the
sick, and the young. The most prominent event of this month is the fasting (sawm) practiced by the most
observant Muslims. Every day during the month of Ramazan, Muslims around the world get up before dawn
to eat the Suhoor meal (the pre-dawn meal) and perform their fajr prayer. They break their fast when the
fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib (sunset), is due. As the third "pillar" or religious obligation of Islam, fasting
has many special benefits. Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control.
For Additional Reading
Azooki’s Sri Lanka Attractions: http://www.azooki.com/destinations/sri-
lanka.html