August 15, Colombo (LNW): The historic Kandy Esala Perahera enters a significant phase tonight (15) as the first Randoli Perahera takes to the streets, showcasing one of Sri Lanka’s grandest cultural celebrations.
This procession, which will run until August 19, follows the five-day Kumbal Perahera that commenced on August 10.
The Esala festival will conclude with the water-cutting ceremony at Getambe on August 31, followed by the presentation of the traditional Sannasa to the President.
This year’s event, featuring 40 elephants, is marked by heightened security, with 6,000 police officers deployed across Kandy to ensure public safety.
The festival officially began with the ‘Kap Situweema’ ceremony on August 5, symbolising the start of the sacred rituals.
