Sri Dalada Perahera

• Dalada Perahera is considered the oldest cultural event with an unchequered history in the world,going back to more than 2200 years.
• Dalada Procession has first commenced during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Megawanna( Kithsirimewan)(303-333 AD).
• This Procession is considered even as a world heritage.
• The rites of the perahera commence with the plantaion of kap in four Devalas on the day prior to amavaka moon day ( two week prior to full moom day) at an auspicious time fixed by the Nekath Mohottala ( Royal Astrologist).
• Thereafter they prepared kap plant and plant them within the premises of devalas.They conduct the kap procession for a period of five days.
• On the sixthday the Kumbal Perahera parades the street in which the Peramune Rala first rides on the Royal tusker while holding Perahera Ola Leaf Book in his hand.

• The following day Randoli Perahera parades the streets.Randoli mean the golden palanquin which had been used for the purpose of escorting the Relics of Buddha.
• Generally they are made with golden and silver and jewels embedded therein.
• Randoli perahera commences with the gun salute and four devala perahera start first.
• Thereafter the Kariyakarawana Rala ( Chief Monitoring Officer) informs the Diyawadana Nilame the commencement of devala perahera.
• Thereafter he informs the monks officiating in the shrine to take out the caskets enshrined with Relics of The Blessed One and Arahant Seevali Thero.
• Then they make arrangements to place the two caskets in the palanquins fixed on the back of the tuskers.
• In the pageant whip crackers go first and thereafter a large number of Kandyan dancing groups perform on the street.
• Therafter Peramune Rala rides on a tusk with the Perahera Ola Leaf Book.
• Next who rides on a tusker is the Gajanayaka Nilame( Officer in charge of elephants) with the silver goad.
• The Kariyakarawana Rala the chief Monitoring Officer also ride on a tusker.Subsequently three elephants lined up in order parade in the procession.
• The next item is the most important and relavant one. The Majestic Tusker strides in a most dignified and majestic manner carrying the golden palanquin in which the relics of The Blessed One is placed.
• That tusker is Caparisoned in a colourful costume decorated with beads and sequins, carrying the Tooth Relic.
• Generally around the one hundred caparisoned elephants take part in the procession among thousands of torch bears, traditional drummers, fire- juggling acrobats, musicians.
• Thereafter the tuskers with image of four Gods in four devals parade in the order of Natha Devala, Vishnu Devala, Kataragama Devala and Paththini Deavala.
• Sri Dalada procession ends with diyakapana ceremony ( water cutting ceremony) which takes place in the early morning of the day after the final Randoli pageant at the historic Getambe Diyakapana Thota ( water cutting ferry)  in the Mahaweli River.

Referances: Book of Sri Dalada
                       Wijedasa Rajapaksha