Birth of Esala Perahera

H A W Hewawasam

The month of Esala is a season of festival where many temples and devalayas have their celebrations held in a grand manner. Among all the celebrations the Sri Dalada Perahera holds the most prominent place held in honour of Esala

The Dewalayas that used to participate with the Esala Perahera changed with the changes of kingdoms from Anuradhapura to Colombo.

Earlier during the reign of King Rajasinghe of Sitawaka, the Esala Perahera was held at Delgamuwa Viharaya in Delgamuwa, where the Diyawadana Nilame of Hiripitiya one Ekanayake, Ven Devanagala Ratanalankara Ven Galauda Thera and Ven Ellepola Thera were the figures who initiated this great event.

It was during the reign of Wimaladharmasooriya that the Tooth Relic was brought to Kandy. Having housed the Sacred Relic for a brief span at Asgiriya Adhahana Maluwa, the king had brought the Sacred Relic to his place and kept it in the highest room in his palace, according to ‘Daladasiritha’.

Later the king built two buildings for the Tooth Relic. According to Dalada Wanshaya one building was two storied while the other said to be three storied.

During the reign of Senkadagala not much information is available about the Dalada Perahera.

Robert Knox, who was held prisoner during the reign of Rajasinghe the II gives some important information of the origins of the Esala festivals or Perahera in Kandy.

Robert Knox says, the Esala Perahera used to be dedicated to God Aluthnuwara. Earlier this deity said to have known as Deundara Deviyo, who later began to be known as Upulwan Deviyo. King Parakramabhahu the II brought the statue of Ulapane to Mawanella where the God came to be known as Aluthnuwara Deviyo.

King Senarath is said to have brought the statue of Aluthnuwara deviyo to Kandy.

The Esala Perahera was dedicated to God Aluthnuwara in the early phase of the Senkadagala reign. Not much historical evidence is available about the exact place where the Aluthnuwara Devalaya was located.

Perhaps one of the buildings of God Vishnu could have been assigned for him.

But later God Vishnu, achieved much popularity among the public and came to a predominant place.

Today, the Aluthnuwara Devalaya is located by the Vishnu Dewalaya in a small room.

There were three other devalayas that participated in the Esala Perahera along with the Aluthnuwara Dewalaya. They are Natha-Vishnu-Kataragama and Pattini. They all participated as a single perahera, not as separate Peraheras as we have today.

The Natha Devala was built in the latter part of the 14th Century adopting the tradition of Vijayanagur using bricks and stones - something similar to the ‘Getige’ model.

Natha Devalaya did not participate with the Dalada Perahera during the early times.

Robert Knox further gives information about Pattini and Kataragama. These devalayas could have been located elsewhere, not at the places where we have them.

The Vishnu devalaya was built in 1731 by King Narendrasinghe according to the historical account of Ceylon History by Corrington.

God Vishnu holds a powerful place in Sri Lankan society.

God Vishnu is honoured as the protector of Buddhism. There are other devalayas, which are entrusted with same services during the Perahera time especially on the last day.

They are Pulliyar alias - Selva Vinayagur, which was said to have built by a wealthy Chettiyar.

It was Welivita Sangharaja Saranankara Thera, to whom the entire Buddhist world owes honour and respect for changing the originality of the Perahera to the present state.

It was Ven Welivita Saranankara Thera who requested and advised King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe to hold the Perahera in dedication of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Since the then Kandy Esala Perahera has been the biggest national pageant which recalls the glory of the ancient kingdom.