Duruthu perahera

The annual Duruthu Perahera pageant (a Buddhist procession) takes held in January at Kelaniya Historical Temple (Colombo) to invoke the Noble Triple Gem and Gods’ blessings on all beings on Earth. The Perahera originally opened its doors in 1927, and it has since become one of the country’s most important religious festivals.

The most significant feature of the temple is Buddha’s visit with 500 Arahats (Supremely Enlightened Beings) during his third visit to the country 2550 years ago. The specifics of the visit are recorded in the Mahawamsa and the Chulawamsa, Sri Lanka’s two earliest historical chronicles.

Over 50 elephants, whip-crackers, drummers, dancers, torch-bearers, and acrobats swirl and flow to the sounds of ancient music in this extravaganza.