Festivals

Sri Lanka having a history as long as many ancient civilizations, positioning in the crossroad of the East and the West, and being a multicultural society, celebrates a wide variety of festivals, ceremonies and events.

Every year on or about April 13th Sinhala and Tamil people celebrate Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival, and Muslims celebrate Ramadan. Esala Perahera (A-suh-luh peh-ruh-ha-ruh) is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly decorated elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional 'diya-kepeema'. The elephant is paraded around the city bearing the tooth of Buddha.

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS BY GREGORIAN CALENDAR DATES

(This order may differ from year to year due astrological and astronomical reasons)

January - Thai Pongal - (Religious/Hindu)

 January - Duruthu Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

 January - The Initial Aluth Sahal Mangallaya (New Rice Festival)

January - Patti Pongal - (Religious/Hindu/Agriculture related)

January - Patti Kiri Ithirima - (Customary/Sinhalese/Agriculture related)

February - The National Day (Independence Day

February - Navam Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

March - Maha Shivaratri - (Religious/Hindu)

March - Milad-Un-Nabi - (Religious/Islam)

March - Medin Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

March - Good Friday - (Religious/Catholic/Christian)

April - Watching the new moon for the new Lunar year - (Customary/Astrology related)

April - Day Prior to Sinhala and Tamil New Year

April - Sinhala and Tamil New

April - National herbal oil anointing

April - Bak Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

May - May Day - (Customary/Political)

May - Watching the new moon for the new Solar year - (Customary/Astrology related)

May - Vesak Full Moon Poya (Vesak) - (Religious/Buddhist)

June - Poson Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

July - Esala Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

August - Nikini Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

August - Esala Perahera - (Customary/Religious/Political/Buddhist/Hindu/Sinhalese)

September - Binara Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

October - Ramazan Fastival - (Religious/Islam)

October - Vap Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

October - Deepavali - (Religious/Hindu)

November - Il Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

December - Haj Festival - (Religious/Islam)

December - Unduvap Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

December - Christmas - (Religious/Catholic/Christian)