Kandy Asala Perahara

Kandy Asala Perahara

Kandy Asala Perahara is Sri Lankas Biggest and most colorfull Festival watched by millions of people every year.

The procession of the sacred Tooth Relic conducted annually during the month of July (Asala) constitutes the grandest festive ritual of the Dalada Maligava. Thousands of local and foreign visitors of all walks of life, irrespective of their religious pursuits, gather to the hill capital, Kandy, to rejoice in a festive mood on the days of this event. Generally, the Devale processions in a mini scale are held for 5 days, followed by the `Kumbal' and `Randoli' processions each held for five days ending up on the Full moon day. The day following the last Randoli , the Water Cutting ceremony and the day procession are held bringing the festival to an end.

The month of Asala (July), during which period this annual pageant is usually held, had been considered a month of celebrations and festivity, both among Indians and Sri Lankans. Even from the lifetime of the Buddha in the 6th century BC, the Asala festival was held to commemorate the Buddha's Conception, his Renunciation and the First Sermon. Asala is also considered to be the beginning of the raining season (Vassana), when the monks commence their Retreat. Also, this month is considered to be the period when ritual performances to the protective divinities are held. (eg.,Pattini puja) as recorded in the text `Pattini-Halla'., Being considered a `chaste' month, the period is held sacred for the availability of water, hence prosperity.

Several records have been left behind by dignitaries and other visitors to the island, such as Robert Knox, John Davy, etc., on the description of the perahara. These accounts provide much evidence as to the constitution and organization of the present day perahara. Yet many features seem to have been added and some changed to suit the time and the available resources and conditions.

The earliest record maintained on the Kandy annual pageant was by Robert Knox, an Englishman who lived in the court of Kandy for many years as a prisoner during the time of Rajasimha II ( 1636-1684 ). According to Knox, the Kandy perahara was conducted purely to honour the Devale divinities, Alutnuvara (Uppalavanna),Kataragama and Pattini. The Natha Devale, however, though the oldest shrine in Kandy, was not mentioned by Knox. During the time of King Kirti Sri Rajasimha, the Natha Devale too is mentioned in the processions of the four Devales. The most important feature that occurred at this time was the addition of the Tooth Relic procession to the processions of the four Devales. It is said that the king himself placed the Relic casket in the `Ransivige' fixed on to the back of the tusker. The Mahavamsa further records that the procession held by king Kirti Sri Rajasimha with all splendor assumed the form of a national festival.

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