As you may know, Sri Lanka was ravaged by an ethnic war for over twenty years. Since 2009, when this brutal war ended, I have been dreaming of going to Sri Lanka and hopefully seeing the Kandy Esala Perahera. This historical procession, also known as the Festival of the Tooth, is considered one of the world’s oldest and most extraordinary festivals. It may also be the most significant Buddhist celebration in the world. 

The festival is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha, a unique symbol of Sri Lanka, which has been housed in Kandy, a major city in Central Sri Lanka, since 1592 (There is no Tooth Fairy allowed in Kandy, I guess). The Tooth Relic holds immense religious importance in Buddhism, symbolizing the living presence of the Buddha. The dazzling Esala Perahera (Perahera being loosely translated as “parade”) consists of cultural performances rooted in centuries-old traditions and includes over 60 elephants, all dressed up in their Sunday best.

But my dream got put on hold multiple times, once by a devastating terrorist attack, then by an inconvenient disease called COVID-19, and more recently by massive economic unrest.

I finally made it this year, and I can report that, regardless of their ethnic background, Sri Lankans know how to celebrate Buddha.

The Festival of the Tooth is not the only celebration in Sri Lanka this time of year.  The Nallur Festival, a 25-day-long Hindu celebration, is held in Jaffna in the northern part of the country.  In this holy period, statues of the God Murugan are respectfully transported in revered “vehicles” in the form of “sacred” animals like peacocks or dogs. Though I was only there for the first two days, which are described as more muted, I can easily imagine how impressive the remaining Nallur Festival can be.  At dusk, processions took place in and around the majestic Nallur Kandaswamy Temple, with people dancing, drumming, and praying. Devotees hurl coconuts (or themselves) onto the ground as a true dedication to their faith.

Buddha was celebrated in Anuradhapura a few days later at the impressive Ruwanweli Maha Seya (also known as the Maha Stupa or Great Stupa). The Maha Stupa is one of the world’s tallest ancient monuments, standing at over 100m and with a circumference close to 300m. There, hordes of devotees, mostly wearing whites, mingle with red-clad monks. All come to pray and offer flowers, fruits, and banners as long as the eye can see.

But the Kandy Esala Perahera is hard to beat.  This week-long festival goes all out, and such is the crowd that one wonders if anyone in Sri Lanka is not in Kandy. Elephants also come from all over the country. It is apparently a great honor for an elephant owner if their elephant is invited to take part. Hopefully, the elephants feel the same way. We were in Kandy for the last two nights of Randoli Perahera, when the festival is said to be at its peak grandeur. Processions were held both nights and lasted around six hours (yes, a lengthy affair; I feel for the performers and the elephants). 

The cracks of whips announced the approach of the procession. This practice came from the ancient days when similar whip crackers announced the approach of kings or ministers and, at the same time, made way for them. Riveting fire acrobats, also in charge of metaphorically clearing the path, followed the whip-crackers.  Then came what seemed like mini-parades where dancers and drummers surrounded one, two, and sometimes three colorfully clad elephants.  The mini-parades, often separated by dignitaries, each represent a different “Devale” or shrine, and each has its vibrant color, as conveyed by the color of the elephants’ outfits and ornaments.

The most exciting moment was when one of the elephants decked out even more luxuriously than the rest came in, carrying the gilded replica of the tooth relic casket under a golden canopy. As a mark of respect for the relic, this majestic elephant walked on a special white cloth laid on the ground. Two more elephants carrying temple officials were busy showering jasmines on the casket. When the tooth relic casket approached, the thousands of Buddhist devotees stood up respectfully.

I hope Buddha (and his tooth) enjoyed the celebration.  I certainly did. 

France