The Esala Perahera, held in the hill capital of Kandy, is one of the most significant spectacles in Asia. It traces the roots to King Siri Megavanna (034 332 AD) during whose reign the sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha – the centerpiece of the festival and symbol of the country’s sovereignty – was borne to Sri Lanka from Kalinga by a Brahmin princess, but the present form was inaugurated by the18^th century Kandyan King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe.

The festival commences with nightly processions over 10 days and culminates in a day procession on the eleventh.  Hundreds of costumed dancers, drummers, musicians, torch-bearers, whip crackers, acrobats and other participants’ parade along the streets, colorfully caparisoned elephants space majestically past. This event draws a lot of visitors from all over the world and hotels in Kandy charge a supplement for these dates. Leading travel agents book accommodation from January onwards.