Category: Events

Kandy Perahera 2019 images

8/13/2019

See our newest photos from Kandy Perahera 2019. They are taken at the Sri Dalada Veediya, which is the road leading from the town centre to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. To be more precisely: What you see is the street's segment near Kandy Lake in the background and the famous colonial-style Queens Hotel. The photos are taken from the side of the said hotel.

Sri Lanka's most illustrous pageant is not only celebrating Kandy's Sacred Tooth Relic, which is the national palladium of Sri Lankan Buddhism, but also including the island's four major Hindu deities protecting it and their entourage. Each god is represented by a specific colour of the decoration atop the tusker.

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Kandy Perahera dates August 2018

7/2/2018

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Our blog will publish you confirmed dates of the Kandy Esala Perahera 2018 (instead of tentative dates) as soon as possible.

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Tentative dates of the 2018 Kandy Perahera

6/29/2018

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Thanks to a customer inquiry, we were brought to notice that there is some confusion concerning the dates of this year's Kandy Perahera:

The information of our own article about Kandy Perahera 2018 dates at http://www.lanka-excursions-holidays.com/kandy-perahera-2018.html refers to the dates given on the Tooth Temple website http://daladamaligawa.org/

The problem is. That website for further information on the dates links to https://lanka.com/events/kandy-esala-perahera/ which dates the events one day earlier.

In other words: There is some confusion wether the final Randoli Perahera takes place on the evening of 26th August or 25th August.

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POSON POYA FESTIVAL 2559 or 2015 IN MIHINTALE, SRI LANKA

5/19/2015

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Poson is a day celebrated by Buddhists around the world. The term Poson comes from the name of a month in Sri Lankan and Indian calenders.

Poson day is one of the most important festival days in the Buddhist history of Sri Lanka as it commemorate that Buddhism started on a Poson day, when the royal missionary monk Mihinda's arrived and converted King Devanampiyatissa to Buddhism, in the year 236 B.C.E. This event is mentioned in our Sri Lankan Mahawamsa Chronicle. Buddhist missionaries were sent to various countries in the world, apart from Sri Lanka. But in the case of Sri Lanka, Emperor Dharmasoka sent his own son, Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera, to lead the delegation. The Arahants (enlightened men) Ittiya, Uttiya, Sambala and Baddasala accompanied Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera on this mission. Sumana Samanera also joined them. The only layman in this mission was Bhanduka Upasaka.

King Devanampiyatissa followed by his men engaged himself in a game of hunting in the royal park, ”Missaka Pawwa”. A well-built deer ran swiftly along the king’s side. The king had no time to spare. Nobody else than the king himself was to kill the biggest deer on that day. But when he aimed at the deer, top at the foot of which the king was standing, he heard his name being called. The king was seriously concerned as to who in this world dared to call him by his name. However, he was not annoyed as the words were pleasing. The king looked up from the foot of the Mango tree where he was found standing dumb and saw the figure of a human being in yellow clothes. Till then he had never seen such a person with yellow clothes. He was amazed. ”This should be a supernatural being”, the king thought. Hitherto the king saw only one figure. The other four arahants, the samanera and the upasaka then also emerged one by one. Arahant Mahinda ascertained that the king was prepared to listen to him. His bow and arrow fell from his hands. He put his hands together on his forehead and knelt down on the ground under the Mango tree.

Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera decided to test the king’s knowledge and intelligence and to ascertain whether he could understand the Dhamma by delivering it in the normal way. Monk Mahinda decided to test king with a riddle. Pointing to a tree he asked him the name of the tree. This tree called a “mango”, replied the king. “Is there yet another mango besides this?” asked Monk Mahinda. “There are many Mango trees”, responded the king. “And are there yet other trees beside this Mango and the other Mangoes?”, asked Monk Mahinda. “There are many other trees, those trees which are not mangoes.” said the king. “And are there, besides the other Mangoes and those trees which are not Mangoes, yet other trees?” asked Monk Mahinda. “There is this mango tree”, said King Tissa, who as a result passed the test.

We generally wear white dress [Sil adun] when going the temples and participating in the traditional ceremonies at temple. The majority of the philgrims spends the whole day in the temple compound and they reaffirm their determination to follow the teachings of the Buddha. Every temple is filled with Ata Sil and Dasa Sil devoties and philgrims all over Sri Lanka celebrating this great event. In temples Buddhist worship, lit lamps, offer flowers and lit incense sticks. Many religious activities are organized by village communities, government departments of police, army, schools and by thee department of buddhist and civil organizations during this period at every temple of Sri Lanka, such as Sil campain, Bodi pooja, Amisa pooja, Perahara Prosses, Coffee or Tea, Dansal [freely giving foods], devotional songs [Bakthi Gee/Bathi Gee], Kavi Bana preaching, pandols or thoran, Aloka pooja, relique excibitions and lantherns.

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Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka

5/8/2015

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Vesak festival street decoration in colombo Sri Lanka

Vesak/Wesak is a day celebrated by Buddhists around the world. The term Vesak is derived from the name of a month in Sri Lankan and Indian calenders. Vesak day is one of the most important festival days in the Buddhist calender, as it commemorates three significant events in Lord Buddhas life, namely his birthday, his enlightment and his passing away. The birth of Siddharta Gautama, the future Buddha Shakyamuni, took place in Lumbini, which today is in Nepal. It was under an arbor sat tree where queen Mahamaya Gave birth to him. The second event was Siddharta Gautama’s supreme attainment as the Buddha. The third event was Lord Buddhas Parinibbana over 2559 years ago according to Buddhist calender.

We generally wear white dress [Sil Adun] when visiting our temples on Vesak Poya day in order to participate in the traditional ceremonies at the Buddhist Pansalas. The majority of the pilgrims spends the whole day in the temple, reaffirming their determination to follow the teachings of the Buddha. The temples are filled with Ata Sil and Dasa Sil devotees and pilgrims from all over Sri Lanka celebrating this great event. In the temples the Buddhist worshippers lit lamps, offer flowers and lit incense sticks. Many religious activities are organized by the local village communities and by the government departments of Police, Army, Schools and notably by the the Department of Buddhist and Civil Organizations during this period at every temple of Sri Lanka. Activities include Sil campaigns, Bodi Pooja, Amisa Pooja, Perahara Processions, Coffee & Tea, Dansal [freely giving foods], Vesak devotional songs [Bakthi Gee/Bathi Gee], Kavi Bana preaching, pandols or thoran and lanterns.

Apart from Sri Lanka many other Asian countries celebrate the Vesak festival, too, for example Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan, India , Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Bhutan.

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Bakmaha Festival in Mihintale

4/22/2015

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Bakmaha festival was held last 17th of April at Missaka Mawatha, Mihintale, organized by my brother Mr.Rohan Gajanayaka and Mrs. Muditha (Grama Niladari) Mr.Gamini Waduge.

Bakmaha Ulela festival was a day out for the whole family with traditional and contemporary games and activities for the whole family in the village. This has become the day for entire Sri Lankan community: Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim to come together and enjoy meetings with their friends and relatives. According to the committee members, this year's Bakmaha festival held many major events such as Fancy Dress competition for children, Pointing to Elephant Eye (blindfolded), Kana Muttiya, Tug of war, Running events, Banis kema, Lime and spoon race, Egg catch, Pol athu wiweema, Blowing balloon, Lissana gaha nageema, Thread to the needle, and Aurudu kumari, Sigithi aurudu kuamri, Sigithi aurudu kumaraya, Hodama kondaya (Good conditioned hair), Raban gaseema Kamba adeema men and women, Pol Gaama, followed by Music and Dance.

Music By Village music band. It’s appreciated to note that liquor is banned during the event, as requested by the organizing committee in the New Year Day.

Thanks for Sri Lankan news paper Maubima Sirasa TV in Sri Lanka. And special thanks for the people in the area for participation in the events of our Bakmaha Ulela Festival.

Bakmaha Aurudu
festival ceremony 2015
Missaka Mawatha Mihintale

Mala Vernone ceremony at
our Bakmaha festival in Mihintale

Pol Athuwiweema ceremony
at our Bakmaha festival in April 2015

Blog post about Bakmaha Aurudu Festival
prowdly presented by
Nuwan Chinthaka Gajanayaka

Lisssana Gaha Nageema ceremony

We started Bakmaha festival with "lighting oil lamp" according to asterism tradition, facing to north direction. North was the best direction for to the date and time we held our festival according to the explanations given in our horoscope. Our Mihintale astrologist “Pathum Astrologist” has given all the astrological help for our committee for free.

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Kandy Perahera 2019 images

Kandy Perahera dates August 2018

Tentative dates of the 2018 Kandy Perahera

POSON POYA FESTIVAL 2559 or 2015 IN MIHINTALE, SRI LANKA

Vesak Festival in Sri Lanka

Bakmaha Festival in Mihintale

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