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20-509: The Esala is believed to be a fusion of two separate but interconnected " Peraheras " (Processions) – The Esala and Dalada . The Esala Perahera, which is thought to date back to the 3rd century BC, was a ritual enacted to request the gods for rainfall. The Dalada Perahera is believed to have begun when the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka from India during the 4th century CE, eight hundred years after

40-760: A Buddhist nation, and his influence led to the king declaring that "Henceforth gods and men are to follow the Buddha". After the Kandyan Kingdom fell to the British in 1815, the custody of the Relic was handed over to the Maha Sangha (the Buddhist Clergy ). In the absence of the king, a chief lay custodian called the " Diyawadana Nilame " was appointed to handle routine administrative matters concerning

60-827: A further five nights of the Randoli Perahera, the pageant ends with the Diya Kepeema , which is the water-cutting ceremony at the Mahaweli River at Getambe , a town a few miles from Kandy. A Day Perahera is held to mark the ceremony. The rituals connected with the Tooth Relic are conducted by Monks of the Malwatte Chapter and Asgiriya Chapters of the Buddhist clergy in Sri Lanka . It is

80-654: A procession consisting of the Nilames of Sathara Maha Devalas and the Nilames of rural devalas to the President's Pavilion carrying a sannasa (formal letter) known as the Perahera Sandeshaya to the President stating the successful completion of the annual Esala Perahera. The President would meet and receive the sannasa at the entrance to the President's Pavilion. Noted tusker elephants who participated as

100-615: Is known in Thailand as Wan Khao Phansa ; it is the first day of Vassa , the Theravada rains retreat. This article about a religious festival is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Theravada -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Pattini Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include

120-470: Is not only the first structured discourse given by the Buddha after his enlightenment, it also contains the essence of all his subsequent teaching. At the end of the talk, one of the five participants recounted his understanding of what had been said and asked to be received as a disciple, a request the Buddha granted, thus establishing the first order of monks. The day is observed by donating offerings to temples and listening to sermons . The following day

140-635: The Temple of the Tooth , which is Sri Lanka 's most important Buddhist Shrine and where the Buddha's Sacred Tooth Relic has been kept since the 16th century, with their insignias placed on the ransivige (a dome-like structure) accompanied by the Basnayake Nilames (the lay custodians of the Devales). The relic casket, which is a replica of the Tooth Relic, is placed inside the ransivige affixed to

160-605: The passing away of the Buddha . The modern Perahera dates back to the times of the Kingdom of Kandy period but the festival of taking the Tooth Relic in procession goes back more than 1,500 years. It was also through the efforts of Upali Thera that the Kandy Esala Perahera came into being. This procession was originally focused on honouring Brahminical deities, particularly those incorporated into Sri Lankan Buddhism . Upali Thera believed this to be inappropriate in

180-762: The 14th century. The third is from the Vishnu Devale ( Vishnu being a Hindu god), also known as the Maha Devale. It is situated in front of the main gate of the Natha Devale. The fourth procession is from the Katharagama Devale (dedicated to the God of Kataragama deviyo , identified with the warrior god Skanda ) which is on Kottugodalle Vidiya (a street in Kandy ). This procession includes Kavadi ,

200-697: The Maligawa Elephant, the Maligawa Perahera joins the awaiting Devale Peraheras and leads the procession. Whip-crackers and fireball acrobats clear the path, followed by the Buddhist flag bearers. Then, riding on the first elephant is the official called Peramuna Rala (Front Official). He is followed by Kandyan Drummers and Dancers who enthral the crowd and are themselves followed by elephants and other groups of musicians, dancers and flag bearers. A group of singers dressed in white heralds

220-535: The arrival of the Maligawa Tusker carrying the Sacred Tooth Relic . The Diyawadana Nilame (traditionally required to do everything in his power to ensure rain in the correct season) walks in traditional Kandyan-clothed splendour after the tusker. The second procession is from the Natha Devale, which faces the Sri Dalada Maligawa and is said to be the oldest building in Kandy , dating back to

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240-597: The duty of the Diyawadana Nilame to organize the Perahera and thus he summons a large number of officials of the Temple of the Tooth and entrusts them with various ceremonial duties connected with the conducting of the Perahera. He first gets the auspicious time from the Nekath Mohottala , the advisor on astrological matters. The task of organising the different types of drummers is handed over to

260-569: The festival is centered at Mendut Temple and Borobudur Temple , Central Java . Asalha Puja, also known as Dharma Day , is one of Theravada Buddhism's most important festivals, celebrating as it does the Buddha's first sermon, the Sermon in the Deer Park at Sarnath , in which he set out to his five former associates the doctrine that had come to him following his enlightenment. This first pivotal sermon, often referred to as “setting into motion

280-520: The firing of cannonballs, which can be heard all across Kandy . The Randoli Perahera begins after five nights of the Kumbal Perahera. Randoli refers to palanquins on which the Queens of the ruling Kings traditionally travelled. 2023 Kandy Esala Maha Perahera (Randoli Perahera) was held on 30 August 2023, the full moon poya day with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people. After

300-485: The four officials known as the Panikka Mura Baarakaruwo . The Maligawa officials also meet the owners of the elephants due to take part in the Perahera (most elephants are privately owned). The dance troupes are given time to prepare. The Basnayake Nilames (the lay custodians of the Devales) are then told to organise their processions. On completion of the Perahera, the Diyawadana Nilame would lead

320-662: The main casket bearer of the Kandy Esala perehera festival include: [REDACTED] Sri Lanka portal Asalha Puja Āsāḷha Pūjā ( Thai : อาสาฬหบูชา ) is a Theravada Buddhist festival which typically takes place in July, on the full moon of the Āsādha month. It is celebrated in Indonesia , Cambodia ( Khmer : ពិធីបុណ្យអាសាឡ្ហបូជា ), Thailand , Sri Lanka , Laos , Myanmar and in other countries with Theravada Buddhist populations. In Indonesia ,

340-674: The next five nights, the " Devale Peraheras " take place within the premises of the four Devales with the priest of each Devale taking the pole every evening, accompanied by music and drumming, flag and canopy bearers, spearman and the Ran Ayudha (gold Armaments), the sacred insignia of the Gods. On the sixth night, the Kumbal Perahera begins and continues on for five days. Initially, the Devale Peraheras assemble in front of

360-585: The peacock dance, in which the pilgrim dances carry semicircular wooden contraptions studded with peacock feathers on their shoulders. The fifth and final procession is from the Pattini Devale ( Pattini being a goddess associated with the cure of infectious diseases and called upon in times of drought and famine), which is situated to the West of the Natha Devale. This is the only procession that has women dances. The following important times are announced by

380-519: The relic and its care. The Kandy Esala Perahera begins with the Kap Situveema or Kappa , in which a sanctified young jackfruit tree (Artocarpus integrifolia) is cut and planted on the premises of each of the four Devales dedicated to the four guardian gods Natha , Vishnu , Katharagama and the goddess Pattini . Traditionally it was meant to shower blessing on the King and the people. For

400-547: The wheel of dhamma,” is the teaching which is encapsulated for Buddhists in the Four Noble Truths : there is suffering ( dukkha ); suffering is caused by craving ( tanha ); there is a state ( nibbana ) beyond suffering and craving; and finally, the way to nirvana is via the Noble Eightfold Path . All the various schools and traditions of Buddhism revolve around this central doctrine. This first sermon

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