Next: about 8 to 18 Jul 2027
Kandy Esala Perahera
Ten nights of torchlight processions in Kandy, with drummers, whip-crackers, dancers and caparisoned elephants carrying the relic casket.
When is Kandy Esala Perahera in 2027?
Kandy Esala Perahera 2027 runs from 8 to 18 July 2027. The date follows the moon or a local calendar, so it can move by a day. Other years: 2026, 19 to 29 July 2026; 2028, 26 June to 6 July 2028.
About Kandy Esala Perahera
Each year in July or August the city of Kandy hosts one of the oldest Buddhist festivals in Asia. It honours the Temple of the Tooth, which holds a relic of the Buddha, and also the four guardian gods of Sri Lanka. The processions grow in size over about ten nights, ending at the full moon of Esala. They are led by whip-crackers and fire dancers, followed by Kandyan dancers, drummers and chiefs in traditional dress and a long line of elephants decked in lights, the largest carrying a golden casket on its back. The ceremony of the water-cutting follows at the Mahaweli River. Crowds line the street for hours, and many families book places months ahead.
Kandy Esala Perahera dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Kandy Esala Perahera date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 19 to 29 July 2026 |
| 2027 | 8 to 18 July 2027 |
| 2028 | 26 June to 6 July 2028 |
This date follows the moon or a local calendar and can move by a day, so check with a local source nearer the time.
What is eaten
- kiribath
- kavum
- kokis
Traditions of Kandy Esala Perahera
Also part of it, and being written: Temple of the Tooth (The temple whose relic is carried in procession.), Esala Perahera (The procession itself.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Esala Perahera" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Kandyan dance: PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ, CC BY-SA 4.0, source