The historic Kandy Esala Perahera got off to a start at an auspicious time last morning with the traditional "Kap" planting ceremony under the guidance of Mohottala of the Temple of Tooth, Sri Dalada Maligawa.

The ceremony, a tradition being carried from the eras of Kings, began with planting the 'Kap' in the premises of the four Devales dedicated to four guardian gods, Natha, Vishnu, Pathini and Kataragama.

The four inner Devale processions will be held from tonight for 5 days. The Kumbal Perahera is scheduled to be held from August 4th till 8th. The final Randoli Perahera will begin after that and continue until the 13th. The historic Kandy Esala Perahera festival will conclude with the Day Perahera and water cutting ceremony on the 14th.

The Kandy Esala Perahera, the biggest Buddhist festival of Sri Lanka, held annually in honour of the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha enshrined at the Temple of Tooth in Kandy, draws thousands of devotees, pilgrims and visitors from abroad.

The “Perahera” or procession described as the grandest pageant of sight and sound includes many caparisoned elephants, traditional dancers and the “Nilames” or lay custodians of Buddhist and Hindu shrines clad in the traditional garb of chieftains of the former royal court.

The origins of the of the Esala Perahera date back over 2000 years and has been held in every capital of Sri Lankan royalty, with Kandy being the seat of the last King of the Kandyan Kingdom.

D.H. Lawrence in his ‘Selected Essays’ said, “I had looked over all the world for something that would strike me as religious. The Perahara in Kandy suddenly affected me with a sense of religion. I felt religion for a moment. For religion is an experience, an uncontrollable sensual experience, even more so that love....”

This year too, the police have made arrangements to deploy additional policemen to provide security to the public with the beginning of Kumbal Perahera. A large crowd is expected in the hill capital to see the Perahera.