Festivals
Running for 25 days, the enormous and spectacular Nallur Festival held in Jaffna rivals the grand celebrations of those at the Kandy Esala Perahera. The remarkable Kandaswamy Temple becomes the focus of the festival where thousands of followers congregate. Men dress in white sarongs, and women wear their best saris which transforms the temple complex into a sea of vibrant colors. Throughout Nallur there are many parades featuring juggernaut floats, performers, and glistening thrones being carried around town. The 24th day of Nallur marks the festivities whereby a huge chariot is pulled by hundreds of sarong-clad men and becomes the biggest night of the holiday. The following day, entranced devotees display self-mutilation by driving skewers through their bodies and making their way to the temple to the beat of drums, and stopping periodically to dance. The enthusiasts who perform these self-mortifications believe that God will protect them from any pain.
When: August to September
Where: Jaffna
Celebrated for 3 days starting from the first day of Thai (the 10th month in the Tamil calendar), this is one of the important harvest festivals in Sri Lanka where families pay tribute to the sun god for a bountiful harvest. The festivities begin by drawing kolams (rangoli) with rice paste in the front yard of houses and boiling milk mixed with rice, jaggery, and spices. The entire family participates in the festivities to pay gratitude to Surya as well as the cattle which play an important role in bringing a good harvest. There are a plethora of temples in Sri Lanka and you can easily become a part of celebrations at any one of them.
When: January
Where: All across the country
Highlight Of The Festival: Rangoli is made and houses are decorated
Independence day of any country is important to its citizens and so it is one of the most important festivals of Sri Lanka. On 4th February 1948, Sri Lanka got its independence from colonial rule. Every year to celebrate this auspicious day, the whole country participates in ceremonies and parades. While you are exploring the country you can attend the military parades, flag-hoisting ceremonies, firework displays, cannon fire shows, and cultural performances. It is also one of the most popular religious festivals in Sri Lanka.
When: 4th February
Where: All across the country
Highlight Of The Festival: Military parades, Flag-hoisting ceremonies
Navam Perahera is the main festival in Sri Lanka which is a mix of colors, parades, and traditions. In 1979, Navam Perahera was celebrated for the first time in the Gangaramaya temple in Colombo. This festival is celebrated grandly and the festivities include fire dancers, whip crackers, flag bearers, and hundreds of elephants, You can also witness the best temples in Sri Lanka and marvelous traditional dances like Uda Rata, Pahatha Rata, and Sabaragamuwa. If you are a fan of music you can see the performance of drummers and flutists. Navam Perahera is one of the most fascinating Sri Lankan festivals in 2021 and you must attend it.
When: February
Where: Colombo
Highlight Of The Festival: Performance of drummers and flutists
Usually around mid-April every year the entire country is enveloped in a festive atmosphere to mark the Lunar New Year. Amongst all festivals in Sri Lanka, the Sinhala & Tamil New Year is especially celebrated with great pomp and show to mark the end of the harvest season and spring. People get busy cleaning and decorating their homes, preparing traditional sweets, enjoying meals with the family, and showing off their new clothes. The celebrations also involve anointing children with herbal oils, bursting firecrackers, and organizing competitive games to add to the fun quotient.
When: 13 – 14th April
Where: All across the country
Highlight Of The Festival: Competitive games, bursting of firecrackers
Commemorating the three important milestones in Buddha’s life- his birth, enlightenment, and nirvana – Vesak Poya is one of the most prominent Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka. Celebrations begin on a full moon day and continue up to a week, filling every home, street, and shop with the magical light of colorful lanterns called Vesak kudu, depicting the light of Buddha. Cities like Colombo and Kandy sparkle with lit-up pandals displaying elaborate panels from the Jataka stories, while tiny clay lamps brighten up villages throughout the festivities of the Vesak festival 2 in Sri Lanka.
When: May
Where: All across the country, but celebrations in Colombo are on a grand scale.
Highlight Of The Festival: Colorful lanterns and tiny clay lamps.
Also known as Poson Paya, this is the second most important one amongst festivals celebrated in Sri Lanka by the Buddhists. Since it commemorates the advent of Buddhism on the island in the 3rd century, Poson Festival holds great historical significance too. Just as in Vesak, the celebrations include lanterns, pandals, and alms-stalls across the island in the true spirit of the Buddhist traditions and teachings. The grandest festivities are in and around the Mihintale rock outcrop where Buddha’s disciple Mahinda first preached Buddhist doctrines to King Devanampiyatissa. Do attend Poson as it is the most important festival in Sri Lanka.
When: June
Where: Mihintale and Anuradhapura
Highlight Of The Festival: Celebration of Buddhist traditions and teaching
Another important one amongst religious festivals in Sri Lanka, The Festival of The Tooth pays homage to the sacred tooth relic of Buddha enshrined at the famous temple in Kandy. The grand celebrations include a spectacular procession of traditional dancers, drummers, and elephants dressed up in rich finery through the streets of the city every day for a week. The excitement, fervor, and festivities on the last night must be seen to be believed. It is recommended to book a seat in advance through some local agencies to enjoy the spectacle in its full glory.
When: July
Where: Kandy
Highlight Of The Festival: Traditional dancers, drummers, and elephants
One of the most significant Hindu festivals in Sri Lanka, it attracts thousands of devotees from across the island to the holy town of Kataragama in southern Sri Lanka over two weeks. People from all major faiths seek divine guidance and penance from the deity by indulging in rituals like skin piercing and acts of self-mutilation. Just like the Esala Perahera, this festival is also marked by processions of dancers, musicians, elephants, fire-eaters, and acrobats, all adding up to the religious fervor and festivities.
When: July
Where: Kataragama town in Southern Sri Lanka
Highlight Of The Festival: Performance by fire-eaters and acrobats
Another traditional festival wonderfully celebrated in Sri Lanka is Diwali. An eminent Hindu festival, Diwali is celebrated throughout the country and the festivities are worth witnessing. New clothes, lights everywhere, sweets and guests, Diwali is simply the biggest celebration of the victory of good over evil. Diwali is one of the most famous festivals of Sri Lanka and if you are in this country then you must attend the festivities and celebrate with the locals. It is also one of the most popular religious festivals in Sri Lanka.
When: November
Where: All across the country
Highlight Of The Festival: Visiting relatives, distributing sweets
