Other photo albums

Esala Perahera 01

The Esala Perahera starts off with a dozen or so 'whip-crackers', who pick up coins thrown onto the road by onlookers, followed by groups of young men who swing around flaming coconut husks that are on the end of wires tied to their teeth or feet. Then they are followed by these stilt-walkers who perform acrobatic stunts with these flaming torches tied to frames made of bamboo or tree branches.

Esala Perahera 02

Next come the flag bearers . . .

Esala Perahera 03

Then the first of the thousands of drummers . . .

Esala Perahera 04

Then the first of more than 100 elephants decorated in colourful covers and fairy lights. I think the man riding this elephant is the Kariya Korala (Master of Ceremonies).

Esala Perahera 05

There are no women in the Perahera -- only men and boys -- until almost the end of the parade when a few groups of female dancers appear.

Esala Perahera 06

In front of this elephant you can see men twirling plates on the top of bent sticks -- not one of them dropped a plate.

Esala Perahera 07

As the sacred Maligawa Tusker approaches, carrying the casket containing the tooth relic, the crowd gets excited and everyone stands on their feet.

Esala Perahera 08

The attendants riding the two tuskers flanking the Maligawa Tusker bless the tooth relic by showering it with jasmine petals. Note the white cloth spread out along the road in front of the Maligawa Tusker, so that his feet never have to touch the bare ground.

Esala Perahera 09

The traditional costumes worn by the dancers are very colourful and ornate.

Esala Perahera 10

I believe this man, who seemed to be the main 'VIP' in the parade, is the Diyawadana Nilame (the Lay Custodian of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic).

Esala Perahera 11

The man riding this elephant looked like some sort of royalty in his resplendent gold outfit.

Esala Perahera 12

The dozens of bands of drummers added a lot of the atmosphere to the Esala Perahera.

Esala Perahera 13

These boys were dancing around this medieval type roundabout, as it was pushed along the road on wheels.

Esala Perahera 14

Another casket being carried by an elephant, but I don't know what this one contained. The crowd didn't stand up as this passed, so it must not have been important as the tooth relic.

Esala Perahera 15

I believe these men are either temple officials or may be the Basnayaka Nilames, the custodians from different devales (shrines) around Kandy.

Esala Perahera 16

And the drummers keep coming!

Esala Perahera 17

The front tusker here had the longest tusks of any of the elephants in the Perahera.

Esala Perahera 18

More dancers . . .

Esala Perahera 19

and more elephants carrying caskets . . .

Esala Perahera 20

and another important looking man.

Esala Perahera 21

I assume he must have been important because the dancers in front of him were working themselves into a real frenzy. I bet they were tired out at the end of three hours of continuous dancing!

Esala Perahera 22

Towards the end of the parade I took this shot looking along the porch where I was sitting, just to illustrate how crowded it was watching the Esala Perahera.

Esala Perahera 23

At the end of the Esala Perahera, these large boxes which looked like coffins were carried behind the parade. I couldn't find out what they contained. Does anyone know?

Esala Perahera 24

As the parade finished, the crowd followed it down the road. The reason some of these people are looking up, is that they are passing the Queens Hotel and looking up at the balcony from where the President sometimes watches the parade. There were a few politicians there, but I don't think the President watched the 2004 Esala Perahera. For more information on the Esala Perahera, please see the article I have posted in the 'Asia Travel Articles' section of this website.