Final Maha Randoli Perahera today

Z.M. RAZIK Kandy Correspondent

KANDY: The historic Kandy Esala Perahera - Sri Lanka’s biggest cultural pageant - reaches its climax today with the fifth and final Maha Randoli perahera.

The Maha Randoli perahera will start from the Sri Dalada Maligawa at 7.38 p.m. facing North and proceed along Dalada Veediya, Yatinuwara Veediya, Kande Veediya, D.S. Senanayake Veediya, Raja Veediya and return to the Dalada Maligawa along Maligawa Chaturasraya.

The same night the Devale Peraheras will join the Dalada Maligawa perahera at 1.45 a.m. (August 17) and facing South proceed along Dalada Veediya, D.S. Senanayake Veediya to the Gedige Viharaya and after depositing the Sacred Relic Casket there, will return to devales and Maligawa.

The Devale Peraheras will, before dawn, proceed along Peradeniya Road to Getambe Thota for the water cutting ceremony (Diya Kapana Mangallaya).

Thereafter, the devale peraheras will return along the same road to Katukele Sri Selva Vinayagar Temple where the customary rituals will be performed.

During the last nine days unprecedented crowds including several thousands of foreigners witnessed the five Kumbal perheras and Randoli peraheras which paraded the streets of Kandy.

The peraheras were headed by the Peramuna Rala, the Gajanayake atop the elephant and followed by teams of flag bearers, torch bearers, drummers, dancers, singers, Kavadi dancers, bear dancers and other participants.

The Diyawadana Nilame and Basnayake Nilames attired in the garb of Kandyan chieftains walked behind the richly caparisoned Maligawa tusker and tuskers of their respective devales.

The Dalada Maligawa, the Mahamaluwa, Natha, Pathini, Kataragama and Vishnudevales in Kandy were gaily decorated with Buddhist flags and illuminated for the eleven day Esala festival.