Festivals in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka having a history as long as many ancient civilizations, positioning in the crossroad of the East and the West, and being a multicultural society, celebrates a wide variety of festivals, ceremonies and events.

Every year on or about April 13 Sinhalese and Tamil people celebrate Sinhalese and Tamil New Year Festival, Christians celebrate Easter and Christmas. Esala Perahera (A-suh-luh peh-ruh-ha-ruh) is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly decorated elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional 'diya-kepeema'. The elephant is paraded around the city bearing the tooth of Buddha.

Festivals and events by Gregorian calendar dates

(This order may differ from year to year due astrological and astronomical reasons)

January

January - Duruthu Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
January - The Initial Aluth Sahal Mangallaya (New Rice Festival) at the Temple of the Tooth; - (Customary/Sinhalese/Agriculture related)
January - Patti Pongal - (Religious/Hindu/Agriculture related)
January - Patti Kiri Ithirima - (Customary/Sinhalese/Agriculture related)

February

February - The National Day (Independence Day) - (Customary/Political/Commemorating the Political Freedom attained from the British Empire)
February - Navam Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

March

March - Maha Shivaratri - (Religious/Hindu)
March - Milad-Un-Nabi - (Religious/Islam)
March - Medin Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
March - Good Friday - (Religious/Catholic/Christian)
March - Easter - (Religious/Catholic/Christian)

April

April - Day Prior to Sinhalese and Tamil New Year - (Religious/Customary/Buddhist/Hindu/Sinhalese/Agriculture related/Astrology related)
April - Sinhalese and Tamil New Year - (Religious/Customary/Buddhist/Hindu/Sinhalese/Agriculture related/Astrology related)
April - National herbal oil ceremony - (Customary/Buddhist/Sinhalese/Astrology related)
April - Bak Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

May

May - May Day - (Customary/Political)
May - Watching the new moon for the new Solar year - (Customary/Astrology related)
May - Vesak Full Moon Poya (Vesak) - (Religious/Buddhist)

June

June - Poson Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
June - Ramazan Festival - (Religious/Muslim)

July

July - Esala Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

August

August - Nikini Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
August - Esala Perahera - (Customary/Religious/Political/Buddhist/Hindu/Sinhalese)

September

September - Binara Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

October

October - Vap Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
October - Deepavali - (Religious/Hindu)

November

November - Il Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
Haj Festival - (Religious/Islam)

December

December - Unduvap Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
December - Christmas - (Religious/Catholic/Christian)

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