Sri Lanka is suffering from a tough time, but it will revive very soon. The occasions and festivals can be the medium to bring fun, laughter, and happiness to the people of the country as well as to the tourists. Here are some of the wonderful festivals of the country that will help you to decide the time to visit the country. Read on to know more-
A list of the most famous festival celebrated in Sri Lanka:
1. Duruthu Perahera, 06th January 2023
Buddhism is celebrated as one of the main religions in Sri Lanka and all the festivals, related to this religion are celebrated with pomp and vigour. Duruthu Perahera is one of such glorious and traditional festivals that are celebrated each year in January. It starts on 06th January and continues for three days. This is one of the hugest celebrations in Sri Lanka which is attended by the locals as well as by tourists.
Duruthu Perahera is the celebration of the first visit of Gautam Buddha 2500 years ago and it is celebrated in Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihariya. This grand celebration includes a splendid procession where you can witness acrobats, singers, torchbearers, and bejeweled elephants.
2. Sinhalese New Year
Every year, the Sinhalese New Year is celebrated on the 13th or 14th of April 2023. This is the festival where the entire country feels the festive spirit together and celebrates the day in a traditional way. As this time signifies the end of the harvest season, people become merrier with the abundant harvest to celebrate it. They buy new clothes, clean their houses, and prepare traditional sweets and other dishes.
Also, many of them apply herbal oils to kids’ bodies to keep them away from any evil spirits. Local people burst firecrackers and organize cultural programs and sports events for all to participate in. People of all religions in Sri Lanka celebrate this day with more happiness.
3. Vesak
Celebrated on the full moon day of May, Vesak is another Buddhist festival celebrated throughout Sri Lanka. This day is considered to be the birthday, enlightenment, and death day of Lord Buddha. People pay honor to him on this occasion through several religious activities like Bodhi Puja, Sil campaigns, Dansalas (distributing free food at the roadside stalls), lightening beautiful lanterns (Vesak Kudu), and singing devotional songs.
The locals also decorate their vehicles beautifully. The next day of Vesak is a holiday and the selling of meat and liquor is stopped for a week. Tourists can visit the beautiful pandals that exhibit the life events of Lord Buddha wonderfully. The festival is celebrated throughout Sri Lanka, but it is celebrated on large scale in Colombo.
4. Vel Festival
Vel is one of the most celebrated Hindu festivals in Sri Lanka that reflects respect towards the Hindu religion. Though the festival is commemorated in Colombo, people across the island visit the capital city this time. Vel Festival is celebrated in July or August every year. Here, Vel is the trident of the war god, Lord Skanda and the celebration is for the victory over evil. People worship his trident and arrange a huge procession that begins from Pettah and finishes in Bambalapitiya.
The Vel is placed in a dazzling golden chariot that is pulled by hundreds of men, dressed in white and smeared their faces with white ash. The procession is full of dancers, singers, musicians, drummers, and decorated elephants that roam around different parts of the city. Watching the procession is a delightful sight with the aroma of jasmine flowers and incense sticks, and the continuous chants of mantra with music and devotional songs.
5. Poson Festival
This is another Buddhist festival that is celebrated throughout Sri Lanka as it is the day when the Buddhists on the land commemorate the day as it is the day when Buddhism was introduced in Sri Lanka in the 3rd Century BC.
Therefore, this day has religious and historical significance. This is also a festival of lanterns, food stalls, and thoranas. Buddhists dress in white and perform several religious activities. This festival is celebrated on the full moon day of June.
6. Thai Pongal
This is the harvest festival of Sri Lanka that is celebrated from the beginning of Thai month as per the Tamil calendar. Usually, it is celebrated for three days of the 10th month of the Tamil calendar. People begin enjoying the festival by decorating their houses with kolams (rangolis) with rice paste and preparing a sweet dish with jiggery, rice, and spices.
The entire family worships Surya Devata and also worships cattle as the symbol of a good harvest. There are many temples in Sri Lanka where the festival is celebrated with beautiful decorations.
7. Maha Shivratri
Maha Shivratri is celebrated with pomp and vigor in Sri Lanka and it is popularly known as Padmajarathri. The entire city is lit up beautifully and the country is celebrated with music, singing, and dancing. The devotees take the purification bath and begin the celebration.
Then, they carry water pots to the temples and pour them on the Shiva Linga, and proceed the day with fasting and meditating. The celebration happens in March throughout the island. There are various Shiva temples in Sri Lanka where Maha Shivratri is celebrated in a grand manner.
8. Kataragama Festival
This Hindu festival is celebrated for two weeks at Kataragama Town in southern Sri Lanka. Devotees show their faith through piercings and self-mutilation. The festivity is high and the procession goes with musicians, devotees, dancers, acrobats, and fire-eaters.
The parade is also celebrated by devotees, walking on the fire. This festival is the celebration of Lord Skanda, the son of Shiva where people offer garlands to the lord. It is celebrated in July or August.
9. Independence Day
4th February is celebrated Independence Day in Sri Lanka. The country got freedom from colonial rule in 1948. Several ceremonies and parades are organized throughout the country. Tourists can also participate in flag-hoisting ceremonies, military parades, cannon fire shows, firework displays, and cultural performances.
So, these are some of the happening celebrations in Sri Lanka. If you want to take part in any of these occasions, plan your trip to Sri Lanka wisely.
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