Maha Perahera today

BY L. B. WIJAYASIRI in Kandy

THE historic religious and cultural pageant of the hill capital, the Kandy Perahera will be concluded for this year, with the Maha Perahera - the grand finale-winding the streets - the longest perahera route - tonight with all its colour and glamour.

The Maha Perahera will commence from the Dalada Maligawa today at 8.40 p.m. from the Dalada Maligawa and proceed along Dalada Veediya, Yatinuwara Veediya, Kande Veediya, D. S. Senanayake Veediya and King Street and return to the Maligawa.

Millions of people from all walks of life and all parts of the country inclusive of thousands of foreign tourists witnessed the Perahera during the past few days but no major incident was reported.

This was the first Kandy Perahera organised by new Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela Bandara. There were no significant changes in the perahera.

The Basnayake Nilames of Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini Devales R. M. Navaratne, Mohan Panabokke, Ranjith Ellegala and Rohan Paranagama conducted their devale peraheras equally colourfully.

This annual festival will end with the traditional water cutting ceremony at Getambe, Peradeniya tomorrow morning followed by the day Perahera in the afternoon.

After the Day Perahera, the Temple chieftains headed by Diyawadana Nilame Dela Bandara are expected to call on President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga at the Kandy President's Pavilion and inform her, in keeping with age old traditions, that this year's Kandy Perahera was conducted and concluded successfully.