by admin-unique | Mar 16, 2023 | Blog, Family Holidays, Family Holidays in Sri Lanka, Family Holidays to Sri Lanka, Family Tours in Sri Lanka, Family Tours to Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Cultural Sites, Tours In Sri Lanka, Travel Tips
Sri Lanka is a country with many festivals. Most of them are Buddhist festivals where the Srilankan traditions are well exposed. Hindu, Muslim and Christian festivals too are celebrated in Srilanka, showcasing the ethnic unity and the harmony of the people. All the festivals are public Holidays in Sri Lanka and this allows the people to celebrate these festivals in style. Srilanka has over 30 public Holidays and most of them are to, celebrate the Festivals. Out of the many festivals we have, we have picked the top five and listed them below.
Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations
.
This is by far the most popular festival celebrated in Sri Lanka. The traditional Srilankan New Year
arrives on the 14th of April at the given auspicious time by the Astrologist which varies every year. All
the traditional food and sweets made over the New Year is a key feature in the celebrations. Every
one join in the traditional Srilankan games making it a fun event. This is the family time for
Srilankans and most families get together leaving big cities like Colombo deserted. The instrumental
factor of the celebrations is the pre-determined auspicious times for activities such as the first meal,
first bath, first day to work or school etc of the New Year prolonging the celebrations for about a
week.
Vesak Poya
This is called the festival of light or the festival of enlightenment. This falls on the full moon
day of the month of May to commemorate the Birth, Enlightenment and passing away of
Buddha. The whole Country will be illuminated with colourful pandalls and lanterns. People
travel around for days sightseeing enjoying the so much varied art work. The temples get
very busy with people dressed in white offering flowers and lighting oil lamps.
Vel Festival
This is a Hindu festival that is held in July /August. The event exhibits Hinduism’s rich
cultural and religious legacy. The celebrations mainly take place in Colombo where pilgrims
gather for the procession.
You hear the sound of drums from a distance, smell the burning incense, chants, and
colourful dances in their vibrant costumes parading the streets of Colombo. The
celebrations honour the defeat of bad forces and evil . The Vel festival is dedicated to
God Skandha, The God of victory.
Kandy Esala Perahera
This is by far the most popular event for Tourists. This procession is claimed to be the
largest unpaid procession in Asia. There are colourful dances , over 50 Elephants ,
Drummers and temple officials walking in the procession that will fill the streets of Kandy
in the central hills of Srilanka. There are self-mortification activities such as walking of
fire, hanging on hooks etc. This festival is held to pay homage to the Tooth relic of Buddha
that starts ten days before the full moon day of August and finishes on the full moon day.
Maha Shivarathri
This festival is been held to celebrate the marriage of Lord Shiva to Parvati and is an
important for Hindus. . This festival takes place in March and there are many traditions that
are followed by the devotees during the festival
People come to temples in bright and vibrant dress for the event. This festival is mainly
focused on the spiritual attributes.
Above are a few of many festivals SriLankans celebrate. Within your holiday of two weeks,
there is every chance that you could experience a festival as we have that many.
Visit Srilanka and we will tell you more about Srilanka
when you are here. Book with us right now!
by admin-unique | Jun 29, 2020 | Blog, Cultural Tours, Family Holidays to Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Cultural Sites, Tours In Sri Lanka
Visit the historical City of Sri Lanka- Kandy
Kandy was the last indigenous capital, the second-largest city and the most visited city by
Tourists of the island. It is a three-hour drive from the Airport to Kandy. The ancient Hill
Capital has so much to offer to the Tourists. It`s old Colonial Buildings that are well blended
with the modern City showcases the ancient glory and the most noticeable is, the Queens
The hotel is in the Heart of the City. Kandy is up in the Central hills with amazing views and
is a couple of Degrees cooler than Colombo and the Low Country. The Highlight in Kandy is the
Temple of the Tooth which houses a Tooth of Buddha. This active Temple is at its best during
the ceremony which happens three times a day. The best time to visit the Temple is 9.30 am,
as you get to see the colorful Ceremony with Monks and Drummers.
During the time of the Ceremony, you get to see the Casket of the Tooth, The Buddha Statue
carved out of a Cristal, The Library with old Palm Books, etc
The Kandy Market is a place that`s not been missed by Tourists. The verity of Fruits is a
highlight to the Tourists as they get to try some of the Fruits that they have never tasted
before. The vegetable market is so colorful and vibrant with so many different types of
Vegetables that have brought over from all four corners of the Country.
Walking around the Kandy Lake, Visiting a Hindu Temple, Trek in Udawattha Kelee Nature
reserve, Visiting the Garrison War Cemetery and Visiting the Botanical Garden are popular
activities in Kandy.
The Botanical Garden is a place where you can easily spend a day with peace and Quiet. The
Highlights are the Orchid House, Royal Palm avenue, and the Ficus Benjameena tree.
The less-visited hidden Gem in Kandy is the Hantana Mountain range that offers amazing views
of the area.
by admin-unique | Jun 5, 2019 | Blog, Cultural Tours, Cultural Triangle, Family Holidays, Sri Lankan Cultural Sites, Tours In Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has been the focal point of Buddhist teachings since the third century BC. Today, over 70% of the population of the small island are Buddhists.
With more than 2,000 years of practicing Buddhism and culture, Sri Lanka can boast its ancient Buddhist temples like few places in the world. What’s more, because Buddhism is still the islands primary region, you can heighten your experience of visiting the Buddhist temples of Sri Lanka by coinciding it when the time of one of the many festivals that takes place.
The following are a few of the prominent temples you can see during a Sri Lankan tour:
by admin-unique | May 30, 2019 | Sri Lankan Cultural Sites
On the forested mountainside sits the ancient monastery of Ritigala, whose mysterious ruins date back to the 1st century and are steeped in legend.
Ritigala is just over forty kilometres away from the ancient city of Anuradhapura, making it a great place to explore while in the area. The ruins of the monastery spread out over an area of 60 acres and are situated on the eastern side of the Ritigala Mountain – a Strict Nature Reserve and homes to many species of animal.
by admin-unique | May 30, 2019 | Blog, Family Holidays, Family Holidays in Sri Lanka, Family Holidays to Sri Lanka, Family Tours in Sri Lanka, Family Tours to Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Cultural Sites
While you’re exploring the historic treasures situated within the Cultural Triangle region of Sri Lanka, be sure to schedule a stop off at the Muthumariamman Temple in Matale.
As well as the spice gardens, the Aluvihara Rock Monastery is also located on the outskirts of the city and is well worth a visit while you’re in the area.
by admin-unique | May 30, 2019 | Sri Lankan Cultural Sites
A collection of five individual temples, the Munneswaram Temple Complex near Chilaw is a particularly important site for Hindus in Sri Lanka and is thought to date back to as early as 1000 CE.
The largest and most prominent of the five temples is the central temple which is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The other temples are dedicated to Ganesha, Kali and Ayyanayake, while the last of the five temples is for Buddhists.
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