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Sri Lanka is a multicultural country where Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Buddhist festivals are celebrated. During your stay in Sri Lanka, do not miss some of these events on these occasions. For unforgettable memories, here is the agenda of the best events and festivals in Sri Lanka.
Poya Days match full moon days. There is on average one per month according to the Buddhist calendar, the national religion of the island. In Sri Lanka, every full moon day is a public holiday in Sri Lanka. During Poya Days, Buddha’s Anniversary and Buddha’s Enlightenment are particularly celebrated. In the streets, people come to admire light decorations planned for the occasion. Houses of alms generally surround the streets and food stands are organised. Be aware, in general, that during Poya Days, no establishments are authorised to sell alcohol and meat.
Among Poya Days, do not miss Vesak Poya Day, which is likely the most important. In 2019, Vesak Poya Day will occur on May 18th.
In July or August, move to Kandy where Poya Day is dedicated to Buddha’s Teeth, which are a holy relic, shown in all the streets of the city on this occasion. Dancers, musicians and domestic elephants walk around the streets to make the festival more lively, well-known as Esala Perahera. In 2019, we don’t know when Esala Perahera Festival will occur yet as it depends on the Buddhist calendar.
In mid-January, Thai Pongal takes place, which is a Hindu Harvest Festival. This festival honors Surya, the Sun God. On this occasion, Sri Lankan Tamil cook a typical dish, called pongal, made with rice, nuts and spices. The exact date of Thai Pongal is decided according to Tamil calendar.
Sri Lanka became independent on February 4th in 1948. Since this day, every year, this anniversary date gives rise to several celebrations in the entire country. Among them, you’ll attend parades, fireworks but also sports competitions organised for the occasion.
Maha Shivaratri means “the great night of Shiva”. Indeed, at the end of February or at the beginning of March, this celebration occurs in the whole country to commemorate Shiva and Parvati’s wedding. This celebration is very important for all Sri Lankans, and particularly Saivites, which are Hindu Sri Lankan. If you go to Sri Lanka during this period, do not miss this unique opportunity!
Sinhalese and Tamil New Year occurs on April 13th and 14th every year. It is one of the most important celebrations in Sri Lanka. During the whole morning, it is forbidden to do anything, at least in traditional families. But in the afternoon, there are stunning festivities. Typical dishes are cooked on this occasion and parties are organised in the entire country.
Even if Esala Perahera predominantly occurs in Kandy, others festivities are organised at the four corners of Sri Lanka. In particular, Kataragama Perahera Festival is one of the most important. Kataragama is a Sri Lankan city, located near Colombo in Uva Province. It is a holy city that is very important for Sinhalese. On this occasion, between July and August, a 10 day pilgrimage is organised with some mystic ceremonies. Make your stay unforgettable by attending rituals in which pain is used as an atonement for sins. There are some purification rituals too. Enough to soak up the Sri Lankan culture!
In addition to the impressive Esala Perahera Festival, it also occurs Nallur Festival on August. Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil Temple, located at Jaffna, is a fascinating place which can be visited all year round. But this place becomes magical during Nallur Festival. It is a Hindu Festival that occurs in the 25 days between July and August. The 24th day is undoubtedly the most dramatic thanks to tanks and some typical rites.
Deepavali Festival is the Sri Lankan festival of lights. In the entire country, admire stunning lights. It is a Sri Lankan custom of lighting some oil lamps in houses during five days on average. On this occasion, rituals also occur, including purification rituals. This Sinhalese celebration is a unique moment to experience if you travel to Sri Lanka during this period. Enough to come back with unforgettable memories!
