Esala Perahera (Scenes From Night And Day Peraheras)

August 2003 The Esala Perahera is the ‘procession of the full moon of Esala’. The procession takes place in the course of a festival held in July or August in Kandy, one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, to honour the relic of the Buddha's tooth preserved in the Dalada Maligawa or Temple of the Tooth. The celebrations, including processions of decorated elephants, drummers, and dancers, last for the ten days ending on the full moon of July/August. The celebrations of the first six nights are relatively minor but from the seventh the parade's route lengthens and the procession becomes more and more splendid. The procession is actually a combination of five separate peraheras. Four come from the four Kandy devalas, the shrines to the deities who protect the island. These are Natha (a deva) and the gods Viṣṇu, Skanda, and Pattinī. The fifth and most splendid procession comes from the Dalada Maligawa. A replica of the golden case in which the Buddha's tooth is preserved is carried on the back of a heavily decorated elephant specially trained for the task.

Wikipedia; Esala Perahera

Wikipedia; Dalada Maligawa

Sri Dalada Maligawa The Perahera starts with a procession of bull whip crackers. Then comes an official with the “rent list” for the Temple written on ola leaves. Banners of all the ancient Kandy protectorates. Made from hammered bronze sheets. Dancers Two of the 60+ elephants in the procession. Kandy Dancers. One of the devale tuskers. Buddhist flags carried by lay leaders. The lay leader of the Dalada Maligawa, Diyawadane Nilame Neranjan Wijayeratne

Two escort elephants and the tusker carrying the Sacred Tooth casket.

Torch carriers light the entire route. More elephants Jugglers

Dancers Crowding the street at the end of one of the night peraheras. The day Perahera on the following afternoon.

One of the officials in ancient costume. A devale group

Look at the tusks on this one! Temple drummers

The Tooth Relic

Close-up of the Tooth Relic casket Dancers from the Shaivite (Shiva) devale