by Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is an island country in the Indian Ocean. It is known for its tropical weather owing to the presence of sea on all three sides and land mass covering the fourth side. Sri Lanka has many festivals and national holidays including Poya days which are celebrated during the full moon, every month. Pilgrims visit 16 temples dedicated to Lord Buddha. It is customary to visit temples and shrines during the typical holidays. Top winter festivals in Sri Lanka include Christmas, wherein a lot of hotels give travellers exciting discounts and fabulous offers to enjoy vacationing with a revved up spirit. Thai Pongal is celebrated in January among the Tamils and Sinhalese population with equal vigor. Presenting to you the other popular festivals celebrated throughout Sri Lanka.
Kandy Esala Perahera
This particular festival is held in August, typically to ear mark the peak monsoon season. The Kandy Perahara is celebrated with a dose of extravagance and festive spirit throughout Sri Lanka. It is accompanied with bursting of fire crackers, for up to 12 long days. Dancers, drummers and elephants parading the streets add to the fun element. The festival is held in order to honour the Royal Tooth Relic of Kandy. From the vacationer’s point of view, you can have a tent or a cottage booked in the festive place and see how grandly the celebrations are going on. You can take happy memoirs on your way, back home. And you can understand Sri Lankan culture better!
Duruthu Perahera
This is a typical winter festival celebrate in the month of January. The festival is celebrated in all excitement in the Raja Maha Vihara temple, just 8 km from Colombo. It commemorates the first visit of Buddha to Sri Lanka. Buddhism is one of the popular religions followed by the Lankan population. Tourists can enjoy watching the fully lit moon and can have their dinner at a roof top restaurant.
Poson
The festival is celebrated on the full moon of June, mainly in Mihintale. The festival ear marks a special importance in the history of Lanka. This was the time when reigning king of Sri Lanka first met Mahinda. Mahinda was behind bringing Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Again the festival is celebrated fervently through Sri Lanka. Check out on hotel deals to figure out if you get attractive discounts by traveling during this particular festival. If you get cool deals, as a tourist, you can enjoy the vacation in Sri Lanka.
Vel
Vel is a festival celebrated in the name of Lord Muruga otherwise known as Skanda. He is the last son of Lord Shiva and the younger brother of Lord Ganesha who has peacock as his charioteer. This is as per the Hindu mythology. Skanda fought against the demons and brought victory to the masses. The triumph is celebrated in all enthusiasm across temples in Sri Lanka. Skanda is also connoted as the god of war. Not to miss out on the pioneer chariot of Skanda hauled between two temples. And this one is the major highlight. Tourists, especially Tamil population will enjoy visiting the shrines of holy worship.
These are some of the top winter festivals in Sri Lanka, celebrated with full vigor and enthusiasm, and paves way for tourists to have a fabulous holiday, right there in Sri Lanka. Foreign tourists need to acquire a Srilankan visa to visit the country.
Flora Cox, a passionate traveler and blogger who shares her thoughts one various topics she came across. As a solo traveler shares her stories on many blogs. Presently she is working for Srilankan visa which is a visa service provider.
