January 14, Colombo (LNW): The annual Aluth Sahal Mangalyaya, or New Rice Festival, took place yesterday morning at the holy Temple of Tooth Relic, with ancient rituals marking the occasion.
This significant festival, which forms part of the four major religious celebrations held at the Temple of Tooth Relic each year, honours the first harvest of rice, a tradition dating back to the time of ancient kings.
The event was conducted under the guidance of the venerable Thera of Thewawa, the Chief Incumbent of Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya, Ven. Urulawatte Dhammarakkhita Thera.
Also present at the ceremony was Diyawadana Nilame, Pradeep Nilanga Dela, who took part in the sacred rituals.
The New Rice Festival, held on the full moon day of January each year, is a key highlight of the religious calendar. During the festival, the first harvest of rice from the fields owned by the Dalada Maligawa is brought to the temple and offered to the sacred Tooth Relic as an act of devotion and thanksgiving.
This custom is believed to symbolise gratitude for the abundance of nature and the blessings bestowed upon the people by the divine.
The celebration of the New Rice Festival has been a cherished tradition for centuries, marking the beginning of the annual cycle of major religious festivals in Kandy.
These four grand festivals—starting with the New Rice Festival—are a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s cultural and religious heritage.
Following the New Rice Festival, the other prominent celebrations include the Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival, the Esala Perahera, and the Kartika Festival, each rich in ritual and devotion.
As part of the day’s rituals, a special Buddha pooja was conducted, during which fresh rice was offered to the Sacred Tooth Relic. This sacred ceremony, guided by the Thera of Thewawa and supported by the Diyawadana Nilame, was a moment of spiritual significance for all involved, reaffirming the deep cultural and religious connection to the harvest and to the temple’s sacred traditions.
