Visit the Temple of the Tooth to see daytime rituals before taking your VIP seats for the evening procession.
Religious Festival
Kandy Esala Perahera
Kandy
July - August
10 days
10/10
About this festival
The Kandy Esala Perahera, also known as The Festival of the Tooth, is an awe-inspiring historical procession held annually to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. For ten consecutive nights, the ancient city of Kandy comes alive with hundreds of elaborately decorated elephants, thousands of traditional Kandyan dancers, skilled fire-breathers, whip-crackers, and rhythmic drummers. The procession grows grander each night, culminating in the Randoli Perahera, an unforgettable spectacle of light, sound, and deep spiritual reverence.
Highlights
- Witness the Maligawa Tusker carrying the Sacred Tooth Relic casket
- Watch thrilling fire dances and acrobatic whip-cracking performances
- See hundreds of illuminated, caparisoned elephants parading the streets
- Experience the vibrant energy of traditional Kandyan drumming
Itinerary
The celebration, day by day
Follow the festival through its defining moments. Open any day to see how the experience unfolds.
2 featured moments
Cultural Context
Originating in the 3rd century BC, the Perahera is a ritual enacted to request the gods for rainfall for a bountiful harvest, intertwined with the veneration of the Buddha's Tooth Relic.