KANDAUDARATA DALAWA

        The senkadagala perahera is a traditional festival held annually in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. These festivals are organised by Dalada Maligawa and the four Maha Dewalas. The most popular part of the Esala festival is the perahera festival held in Nikini.

                The festival has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. This is a Buddhist Festival consisting of dancing and elegant elephant s. The festival marks the conclusion of the traditional water cutting ceremony held on the full moon day of Nikini.

History...

               The Esala is believed to be a fusion of two separate but inter connected "perahera"-( processes) the Esala and Dalada. Esala perahera, which is thought to date back to the 3rd century BC, was a ritual-enactsd request for a rainfall for the gods. The sacred Thoot Relic ot the Dalada perahera is believed to have been brought to Sri Lanka by. during the 4th century CE, eight hundred years after the passing away of Lord Buddha.

                    According to tradition, the Tooth Relic was taken in Sri Lanka by princess Hemamala and Prince Dantha.

The procession...

     • The procession inside

     • The  kumbal perahera

     • The Randoli perahera

     • Day procession

   Inner perahera...

            The dewala is done within 5days.

   Kumbal perahera...

             The sixth day begins with the pottery procession the street tours for 5days.here,the carpenter,the shield, the sesame, the silver, the udakki, the panthers, the rhythm of the talismans, the talismans are cleaned and the streets of the palace are cleaned. This procession is more beautiful than the Dewalaya procession.

      Randoli perahera...

                 The elephant carrying the donkey adorns the main entrance of the palace for the Randoli perahera. Nilame is also preparing for his own temple and palace.

       Diya kepeema  and the Day perahera

                        After 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 few miles from Kandy. A day perahera is held to mark the ceremony.

Organization of the perahera...

                     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 the duty of the Diyawadana Nilame to organise the perahera and thus he summons he 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 are handed over to the four officials known as the panikka Mura Baarakaruwo.

                     The Maligawa officials also meet the owners of the elephants dueto take part in the perahera ( most elephants are privately owned) . The dance troupes are given time to prepare. The Basnayaka Nilames are then told to organise their processions.

Perahera Sandeshaya...

     

 

              On completion of the perahera, the the Diyawadana Nilame would lead a procession consisting of the Nilames of Satara Maha Dewalas and the Nilames if rural Dewalas to the president' s pavilion carrying a Sannasa ( formal letter) know 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 pavilion.

                      

Notable Sacred Casket Bearer Tusker...

             • Raja

                     

                      Raja was a Sri Lankan tusker elephant belonged to the Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy. Raja participated in Kandy for around 50 years and was the sacred casket bearer of the final Randoli perahera for 37 years. He was one of the most celebrated elephants in Asia during his lifetime and was wold famous for his noble behaviour. On August 20.1986 former Sri Lankan president J. R. Jayawardene declared Raja as a national treasure in recognition of his valuable services to the religion and culture of Sri Lanka.

            •Heiyanthuduwa Raja

            •Millangoda Raja

  

                   Millangoda Raja was a Sri Lanka elephant, which was considered as the longest tusked Asian elephant when he was a living. He was captured at Nawagaththegama jungle in Anamaduwa , puttalam district in 1945 and thereafter was owned by M.R.A. Millangoda Appuhamy of Molagoda, kegalle. Millangoda Raja participated at the Esala perahera in Kandy for nearly 40 years and also carried the casket of tooth relic, an opportunity enjoyed by only a few elephants in Sri Lanka. The tusker died on 30 July 2011 and was about 73 years old at the body of Millangoda Raja was preserved and placed on public display in a museum , which was constructed by Ananda Millangoda at the elephant village inMolagoda, kegalle.

             •Nadungamuwa Raja

                   Nadungamuwa Raja is an Indian tusker born c. 1953 in Mysore and he is the current main casket bearer of the procession of Esala held in Kandy Sri Lanka. Nadungamuwe Raja is considered as the second tallest tusker in Asia. Raja is one of the elephant calves gifted by a Mysore Maharaja to the veteran native physician monk resided in Nilammahara temple piliyandala in appreciation of curing his relatives long lasted illness, other elephant being late NawamRaja of Gangaramaya. In 1978  he was acquired from his second owner by Dharmavijaya Veda Ralahamy of Nadungamuwe area, an eminent Ayurvedic physician of that time since then he is named after his residing village Nadungamuwe.

The Procession Of  People And Their Work Are Phenomena....

          • Kasakaruvo

          • Fireballs and Buddhist flags

          • Flags

          • Front shelf

          • Heavisi players ( dawal, trumpet, tammattam, talampata,)

          • Gajanayaka Nilame(with the silver bead on an elephant)

           • sevaral elephants, dancers and drummer

             • karya korala

             • Dancers and drummers

             • The artists of the poetry cottage

             • The elephant carrying the tooth of the tooth

             • Wes dance group and drummers

            • DiyawadanaNilame.