Sri Lankas deep-rooted and ancient civilsation has endowed the island with legacy of colourful national and religious festivals.Hardly a mounth goes by without a unque national or religious celebration of diverse cultures and religions,celebrated by people with a genius for pageantry and ceremony.
December-April
Sri Pada or Adams Peak as it is know to the westerners, is a mountain 2237,meters high situaded in the South- west corner of the central highlands.Full-moon day of December to the full-moon day of April,thousands of pilgrims from many faiths climb the mountain.Buddist,Hindus,Muslims and christians also make prilgrimage for their own religious reasons.The spectacle of sunrise from the mountain top is an unforgettable sight.
January 01st-03rd.
Durutu Perahera Pageant
A colourful religious pageant at the Kelaniya Temple 12 k.m away from the city of Colombo.It is a colourful procession of caparisoned elephants,torch bearers and traditional dancers.
31st January-1st february
Navam Perahera pageant.
A Colourful traditional perahera organiiised by gangaramaya temple in Colombo parades the city streets for two nights.Dances,elephants,whip crackers make it an unforgattable event.
February 04th Independece Day.
This day commemorates the granting of independence to Sri Lanka by the Britist on 04th February 1948.
APRIL 13th-14th Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
The two ethnic groups in Sri lanka, the sinhalese and the Tamils celebrate a common traditional New Year in the mounth of April,originally a harvesting thanksgiving.This marks the passage of the sun from pisces to Aries.Traditional customs are obseved on this day with merrymaking,fun and games and lavish hospitality.
May, Vesak Full Moon.
Vesak is a thrice blessed day for Buddhists throughout the world.It commemorates the birth of prince Siddhartha,his attaining enlightenment and passing way into Nibbana as Gauthama Buddha.
June,Poson Full Moon Day.
Poson, the full-moon festival commemorates the advent of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC.
August Esala Procession
Incidentally,the city of Kandy is important to the buddists the world over for two main reasons,it holds the Temple of Tooth Relic,and in August of every year a procession to venerate the tooth Relic traveses its strees.
The Kataragama festival is a major Esala Festival.(15th to 30th july)
Dondra (devinuwara-City of Gods) Colourful Procession featuring Kandyan and lower country dances.
Munneswaram (Chilaw) Hindu festival during the Esala festival time,fire walking and dances takes place during the Munneswaram Hindu festival time.
November, 08th Deepavali,festival of Lights.
The festival of lights celebrated by all Hindus.
December 25th Christmas Day.
The Christmas day is celebrated by the Christian community in Sri Lanka on the day.