Sri Lanka, a land that inherits a culture rich in timeless traditions and vibrant celebrations. Planning your Sri Lanka trips around these celebrations can transform your journey into an unforgettable cultural immersion.
Dive into this blog to discover the top 5 cultural festivals that make Sri Lanka trips truly extraordinary. By aligning your Sri Lanka trips with these events, you’ll uncover the heart and soul of this tropical paradise.
1. Kandy Esala Perahera
Ready to explore the rich culture of the Sri Lankan central hillside? The Kandy Esala Perehara is a spectacle you should not miss out on when planning the itinerary for your Sri Lanka trips.
The Kandy Esala Perehara is one of the biggest and greatest cultural festivals in Sri Lanka. It portrays the devotion of Buddhists and the rich cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. It is the annual procession of the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy which falls in the months of July and August every year. This elegant parade has been conducted as a way of paying tribute to the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha and gods for generations and generations.
According to the Sri Lankan chronicles, this festival originated during the ruling time of King Kithsiri Meghawanna. It is said that the king began a tradition of taking the Sacred Relic around the city of Anuradhapura to receive blessings from the gods. With time, this tradition has transformed into a grand procession that is being conducted yearly in a very prestigious manner.
The prestigious Esala Perehara is led by a series of rituals and processions. The series of 10 days begins with a ritual named “Kap Situveema”. (replanting a blessed Jackfruit tree) During the first 5 days, the Devale Processions(Processions held within the premises of the 4 gods’ shrines) take place. On the sixth night with the New Moon, the processions are brought out of the temple premises for the first time. These are called Kumbal Processions and will be held for another 5 nights. The final procession is the grandest form and is called the Randoli Procession.
This festival is considered one of Asia’s most spectacular celebrations due to its one-of-a-kind visual appeal. It features majestically adorned elephants, elegant traditional dancers, drummers, fire jugglers, and many other performers which pleases both the eyes and ears. Performers who participate in this sacred festival make months of preparation to create intricate outfits and showcase flawless performances.
In the Kandyan culture, the performers who participate in this procession take much pride in their contribution to the sacred event. There are many stories about the miracles and blessings experienced by locals who attended the procession. This experience is one of the most worthy experiences for travelers attending Sri Lanka cultural tours.
- Sinhala and Tamil New Year
Among all the diverse cultural festivals Sri Lanka offers, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a deeply rooted occasion in the lives of Sri Lankans. This festival is blended with ancient customs and religious practices that span centuries back in the island’s history.
The Sinhala and Tamil New Year which is celebrated in April coincides with the end of the paddy harvest season – a time of joy and abundance for farmers in Sri Lanka. However, the origin of this festival runs much deeper.
Locals believe that it marks an important celestial transition when the Sun moves from the Meena (Pisces) constellation to the Mesha (Aries) constellation. This transition is believed to be an auspicious time for new beginnings. Locals engage in rituals like boiling milk until it overflows to symbolize prosperity throughout the year and lighting oil lamps which are believed to dispel darkness.
Traditional Sweets prepared for Sinhala and Tamil New Year
The Sinhala and Tamil New Year is more than a festival for Sri Lankan households. The New Year customs and traditions encourage families to come together and prepare for the year ahead. Locals adhere to the exact auspicious times allocated for each tradition. Traditions include elders of the family blessing the young members by anointing their heads with herbal oils, preparing New Year sweetmeats, visiting the local temple, and much more.
The celebration extends beyond households, fostering unity and harmony among neighbors. Sharing tasty sweets with your neighbors and inviting them over to play traditional New Year games are common practices during this time.
The Sinhala and Tamil New Year is one of the most vibrant cultural festivals Sri Lanka offers for its travelers. Imagine dressing in vibrant traditional attire and engaging in joyful New Year games with your loved ones. This experience is truly a feast for travelers willing to explore the cultural side of Sri Lanka.
- The Kataragama Festival
The Kataragama festival is another one of the many cultural festivals Sri Lanka offers for its travelers. This event falls in the month of Esala (July/August). This is the annual procession of the Kataragama jungle shrine, which is dedicated to the God Skanda.
Skanda also known as the Hindu god of war is venerated by Hindus and Buddhists across the island. Legends have it that God Skanda has six heads, and twelve arms, and rode a divine peacock as his vehicle.
According to Hindu mythology, the God Skanda who was receding in the Himalayas decided to move to Kataragama, Sri Lanka. During his stay, he fell in love with an Indigenous princess named Valli. The annual procession is held to celebrate the union of Skanda and Valli annually and receive protection from the god.
The festival takes place for a duration of 2 weeks. Each night of these 2 weeks, a procession takes place where the talisman symbolizing God Skanda is paraded to the shrine of Valli for a brief time. The festival reaches its climax on the last day of 2 weeks when the talisman is kept overnight at the Vali shrine, symbolizing the completion of marriage.
The main festival features elegant Kavadi dance performances, majestically dressed elephants, and rhythmic beats of traditional drummers. Devotees participate in intense rituals like fire-walking and swinging from hooks pierced to their skin to pay gratitude for fulfilled vows. Travelers will get to see the common sight of the possessions of bystanders during the processions.
The festival ends with a ritual called the Water-cutting ceremony where the high priest cuts the water with a sword and fills a pot with that water.
The Kataragama festival is an event fused with utmost devotion and centuries-old rituals. Up to this date, thousands of Hindu devotees travel to Kataragama by foot for hundreds of miles to participate in this sacred event. This festival is an exciting watch for cultural explorers during their Sri Lanka trips.
- Vesak Festival
Vesak is the most prominent Buddhist festival celebrated in Sri Lanka. This sacred day falls on the full moon day in May, which marks the 3 main events of the Buddha’s life: birth, enlightenment, and passing away. The festival takes an important place in the hearts of Buddhists and involves a variety of practices and activities which makes it one of the major cultural festivals Sri Lanka brings for travelers.
Every household in Sri Lanka prepares for Vesak with great enthusiasm. Families come together to decorate their homes with colorful Vesak lanterns to match the mesmerizing spirit of Vesak. For locals, these decorations aren’t just for pleasing the eyes – they convey a deep lesson of Buddhist teachings. The Vesak lanterns represent how Buddha and his teachings illuminate our lives. The square-shaped open spaces symbolize the entry and exit of life, emphasizing the cycle of life.
Vesak Lantern (Pahan Kuduwa) prepared for Vesak Festival
The whole nation joins hands to illuminate every corner of the country with devotion and spirituality. Streets and towns are filled with beautiful lanterns, pandals, and various festive structures that portray the devotion of Buddhists to this sacred holiday.
This festival brings everyone to the streets of Sri Lanka. Travelers will come across numerous free food stalls(Dansals), offering tasty local foods for people passing by. Locals highly believe in the value of giving especially during this sacred festival.
Sri Lankans also engage in various wholesome activities like offering alms, releasing captive animals, and abstaining from consuming meat and alcohol. This Sri Lankan cultural festival unveils the spiritual culture of locals.
- Thai Pongal
Thai Pongal is a cultural festival celebrated by Tamil communities all over the world. This festival originated from the agricultural-based civilizations that existed thousands of years ago in India. The core belief of the Thai Pongal festival is to pay gratitude to the Sun, earth, rain, and cattle, the most important elements in the Indian agrarian society.
The festival falls in the month of January, which marks the end of the winter season and the beginning of the Sun’s journey from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere. Originally, Thai Pongal consists of a 4-day celebration but in Sri Lanka, it is celebrated only for 1 day, which is named Surya Pongal.
Thai Pongal in Sri Lanka revolves around several rituals that make this festival a worthy experience for travelers visiting Sri Lanka. The central ritual of the celebration is preparing the Pongal dish. This is a healthy and aromatic dish made from rice, jaggery, and milk. The ritual includes adding all these ingredients to a clay pot and boiling them until overflowing. This overflow symbolizes abundance and prosperity.
Cultural festivals are the heartbeat of Sri Lanka. They add a layer of richness to your Sri Lanka trips. offering travelers an unparalleled glimpse into its traditions, spirituality, and community life. Time your Sri Lanka trips to coincide with these iconic celebrations with an experienced travel agency like Heavenly Lanka.
Heavenly Lanka can elevate your Sri Lanka trips from ordinary to extraordinary, crafting cultural experiences that will last forever.Explore our comprehensive Sri Lanka holiday packages that experience your Sri Lanka trips in their most unique form.
