Kandy Perahera

For two weeks at the end of July and in to the first few day’s of August, The hill town of kandy is transformed to the way it was before it fell to the British in 1815. Elephants parade the streets at night, officials and chieftains wear traditional costume and dancers leap to the timeless rhythm of the drums.
It is the time of the Kandy Esala is people give thanks in songs, Dance and pageantry for a bountiful harvest. Esala also signifies man’s strength and valour in having conquered and tamed the wild elephant.
The significance of this perahera (Procession of Procession) dates to 310 A.D. when the tooth relic was brought from India. Before then there was an annual procession to pay tribute for the harvest and to ask the gods for sufficient water for the next crop.
Asking for water is still the main reason for the Esala perahera and is way the chief incumbent of the Temple of the tooth is called the Diyawadana Nilame for "diya" is the Sinhala ward for water. The last ritual of the perahera is the water cutting ceremony.