Kandy Esala Perehara season:

Special services from Sri Lanka Insurance

Sri Lanka's cultural master piece, the Kandy Esala Perahera with all its grandeur is once again livening up the hills this August, attracting the attention of all arts and culture lovers from around the world, who gather in Kandy to witness this majestic pageant during this season.

Sri Lanka Insurance as the largest and the strongest government insurer in the country takes upon itself the responsibility to nurture and protect the rich heritage and rituals of the Sri Lankan people to be handed down to the future generations of Sri Lankans. As such, Sri Lanka Insurance will provide a special service for the benefit of pilgrims who visit Kandy during the Esala perehera season by extending the 'Ira Handa Pavathina Thuru' personal accident cover amounting to Rs 50,000 for all pilgrims who gather to witness the Kandy Perahera.

In addition, Sri Lanka Insurance Motor Plus vehicle breakdown assistance and recovery service is geared up in Kandy to provide assistance to all pilgrims who would face difficulties due to vehicle breakdown during the Perahera season.

In case of breakdowns which cannot be repaired immediately Sri Lanka Insurance Motor Plus vehicle breakdown service will extend support to transport the vehicle to the nearest repair centre.

This service is offered to all vehicle users and does not limit only to Sri Lanka Insurance Motor Plus policy holders.

According to the Mahavamsa, the origins of the regal pageant dates back to the time the Sacred Tooth Relic was brought to Ceylon in the reign of King Kirthisri Meghawanna who ruled at Anuradhapura from 303 - 331 A.D. It is stated that the Sacred Tooth Relic was placed in a casket made of Phalika (Steatire or Soapstone) and lodged in an edifice called the Dharma-Chakra built by King Devanampiyatissa in the third century B.C. The Mahavamsa goes on to say that 900,000 Kahapanas (a great sum of money) were spent in celebrating the festival in honour of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the King Kirthisri Meghawanna announced that the Relic should be taken round the city of Anuradhapura once a year in spring.

There is evidence to show that his order was faithfully carried out by those Kings who followed in their respective kingdoms, until it rested in Kandy during the period of Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe.

The age old pageant is preserved to date with all it's magnificence and grace.