The Kandy Esala Perahera

This is one of the oldest and grandest of all Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka, consisting of dancers, jugglers, musicians, fire-breathers, and lavishly decorated elephants.

This pageant is held in the month of Esala (July or August) which is the month believed to commemorate the first teaching given by the Buddha after he attained enlightenment.

The first procession of the Sacred Tooth Relic stars with the Kumbal Perahara. The first Kumbal Perhara is shown to the infants to drive away Evil Spells and Ill will. It is a tradition that the procession parades the streets of Kandy for consecutive five days.