August

Kandy Perahera

The Sacred Tooth Relic (Dalada) of the Buddha is the most venerated object of worship for Buddhists. Its present house, the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy, Sri Lanka is considered the foremost sacred place of worship in the Buddhist world.

Tentative dates of the Kandy Esala Perahera 2014: 1st – 11th August 2014 (Subject to change)

Similarly, in August on the Nikini full moon Poya day, Kotte Raja Maha Viharaya (Temple) which is the resting place of one of Lord Buddha’s tooth relics. The Nikini Perahera commemorates the times where the sacred tooth relic was enshrines in the temple.

Furthermore, August is also the time of the Vel Festival, a Hindu celebration by which the trident, the weapon of Hindu war god Skanda is laid into a golden chariot from the Kathiresan Kovil to Kovil in Bambalapitiya or Wellawatte annually.

Things You Can Do 

The Elephant Gathering at Minneriya National Park – 01 August Onward

Around August – September every year, the receding banks of the Minneriya Lake are covered by about 300 Asian elephants in search of food and water. This spectacular phenomenon known as ‘the Gathering’ is possibly the highest concentration of Asian elephants in a single location and ideal setting to observe and understand the social dynamics of elephants, especially the feeding, courting and fighting of the giant mammals and the matriarchs who tenderly guard their young. Many safaris are organized to the Minneriya National Park during the season and accommodation around Sigiriya, Dambulla, Habarana, Kandalama and Giritale would be the best options.