What is Kandy Esala Perahera?
Kandy Esala Perahera or Pageant is a grand annual cultural festival held in months of July / August annually to pay homage to The Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy Sri Lanka. This is a largest Buddhist cultural event with hundreds of dancers of different types / decorated Elephants and many more cultural events walk through streets of Kandy City. 

2024 Kandy Esala Perahare Schedule 
 

Kumbal Perahera 
10 August to 14 August 2024
 

Randholee Perahera 
15 August – 18 August 2024
 

Final Randholee Perahera 
19 August 2024

Dawal Perahera (Day) 
20 August 2024 

Thousands of people including tourists are gathered in Kandy to witness this annual grand festival in July or August. Kandy Esala Perahera is a centuries old event and practicing to date. This is event is purely managed by the “Diya Wadana Nilame” (Lay Custodian of The Scared Tooth Relic Temple) together with other public / private institutes in Kandy. 
Elephants from various parts of the island travel to Kandy and return back after the event. Until complete the event, they are staying near Sacred Tooth Relic Temple with careful protection. Some of them walk to Kandy from home town while some are travelling on a truck. 
This is good cultural experience during your holiday in Sri Lanka which gives you good insight of the culture of Sri Lanka. If you are travelling in summer holidays, recommend witnessing this event but make sure to inform your travel agent to reserve a seat at Queens Hotel or any other possible place. 
Further, if you are planning for a Buddhist pilgrimage tour in Sri Lanka, we recommend you to include this for your holiday itinerary Sri Lanka.