DECEMBER –APRIL
Sri Pada Pilgrimage Season
Sri Pada, or Adam's Peak as it is known to Westerners, is a mountain 2,237 meters high situated in the south-west corner of the Central Highlands. Thousands of pilgrims from many faiths climb the mountain to pay homage and make observances commencing from the full-moon day of December to the full-moon day of April the following year. Buddhists believe that it enshrines the foot print of Gauthama Buddha at the summit.
Hindus, Muslims and Christians also make pilgrimages for their own religious reasons. The spectacle of a sunrise from the mountain top is an unforgettable sight.


JANUARY
Duruthu Perahera
A colourful religious pageant at the Kelaniya Temple 12 kilo meters away from the city of Colombo. It is a colourful procession of caparisoned elephants, torch bearers and traditional dancers.


FEBRUARY
Independence Day
This day commemorates the granting of independence to Sri Lanka by the British on 4th February 1948. It is a great patriotic and national occasion celebrated with colourful parades and pageants depicting the nation's culture.

Navam Perahera
A colourful traditional perahera organised by Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo parades the city streets for two nights. Dancers, elephants, and whip crackers make it an unforgettable event.


MARCH


APRIL
Sinhala and Tamil New Year
The Sinhalese-Buddhists and Tamil-Hindus celebrate a common traditional New Year in the month of April. This marks the passage of the sun from Pisces to Aries. Traditional customs are observed on this day with merry-making and lavish hospitality.


MAY
Vesak Full Moon (poya)
Vesak is a thrice blessed day for Buddhists throughout the world. It commemorates the birth of Prince Siddhartha, his attaining enlightenment and passing away into Nibbana as Gauthama Buddha. It is a day of great sanctity devoted to religious observances and charity. The day is also celebrated with festivity with numerous colourful decorations and illuminations, pandols and pageants. Wayside stalls distribute food and refreshments to the pilgrims and passers by.


JUNE
Poson Full Moon (poya)
Poson, the full-moon festival commemorates the advent of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC. The day is celebrated with religious observances. The centre of festivities is at Mihintale, about 12 kilometers from Anuradhapura where the Buddhist doctrine was
first preached by Arahat Mahinda, son of the great Emperor Asoka of India. Apart from religious festivals there are illuminations and decorations and processions in various parts of the island.


JULY - AUGUST
Esala Festival -Kandy
Esala (July/August) is the season of festivals in Sri Lanka and the full moon day of Esala is the climax of some of the festivals. The most magnificent of these festivals is the Kandy Esala Perahera. A spectacular medieval day pageant is held for 10 nights, climaxing with the Kandyan dancers and .'drummers in colourful traditional costumes.
Kandyan chieftains in medieval court dress, more than one hundred caparisoned elephants, whip crackers, torch bearers etc., make it an unforgettable experience.

Kataragama
The Kataragama festival is another major Esala Festival. Kataragama in the south-east corner of the island is a shrine dedicated to God Skanda and is a popular pilgrim centre for Buddhists and Hindus. Fire walking and the annual perahera in July/August are some of its highlights.

Dondra
In Southern Sri Lanka, 165 kilo meters from Colombo is the shrine dedicated to God Vishnu at Dondra, where Esala festivals take place every year with colourful perahera's featuring Kandyan and low country dancers.

Bellanwila
A colourful Esala pageant is also held at the Rajamaha Vihara (Buddhist temple) at Bellanwila, a Southern suburb of Colombo. The perahera features low-country folk dancers in addition to Kandyan dancers.

Munneswaram
About 85 kilometers north of Colombo (3 kilometers from) Chilaw) is a Hindu Shrine dedicated to God Siva, where a colourful temple festival with fire walking, takes place during the Esala Festival time. This is a popular pilgrim centre for both Hindus and Buddhists.

Vel
Some of Colombo's main streets take on a festival atmosphere in August when the capital's main Hindu festival takes place. An ornately decorated Vel Chariot makes its annual trip carrying the weapons of God Skanda from one temple to the other.
(The exact date of the Kandy Esala Perahera and of the other festivals are announced only during the first quarter of the year.)


SEPTEMBER
Facets
The 12th Sri Lankan international gem and jewellery exhibition in Colombo.


NOVEMBER
Deepavali
The festival of lights celebrated by all Hindus. Hindu homes are lit up at night, new clothes worn,homes spring-cleaned and all Hindus purify themselves with an oil bath. Illuminations are designed to welcome the goddess Lakshmi.


DECEMBER
Sangamitta Day
(Unduvap Full Moon)
This day marks the historic event of bringing the sapling of a branch of the sacred Bo tree under which Gauthama Buddha attained enlightenment in India. The branch of the Bodhi tree was brought by Arahat Theri Sangamitta, sister of Arahat Mahinda and daughter of Emperor Asoka.



FESTIVALS
Thai Pongal Day
Celebrated on 14 January in the Tamil month of Thai, when the first grains of the new paddy harvest are ceremoniously cooked in milk in a specially decorated new pot.

Maha Sivarathri Day
Followers of Lord Siva observe a day's fast and and all night devotion to him, following the legend of a shepherd chased up a tree by a leopard.

Holy Prophet's Birthday (Milad Un Nabi)
A day of special prayers at the mosque, fasting, parties, and the distribution of food to the poor as mark of devotion to the Islamic Prophet.

Medin Poya
Celebrates the trip of Buddha back to his home to convert his own family.

Good Friday
Christians commemorate the death of Jesus Christ.

Easter
Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

Vesak
Vesak full-moon poya day falls in the month of Mayor June. Buddhists celebrate this festival to commemorate three important events -i.e. the birth of prince Siddhartha, enlightenment, and the death of Lord Buddha.

Esala Poya
Commemorates the first sermon preached by the Buddha after enlightenment, in which he revealed the four Noble Truths and the Noble 8-fold Path. Nikini Poya It is mostly observed by monastic Buddhists. It may, in special cases, mark the beginning of a three-month retreat for monks.

Binara Poya
Commemorates Buddha's trip to heaven to preach to his mother and celestial throngs.

Wap Poya
Commemorates two separate events in the life of the Buddha: his renunciation of the lay life as Bodhisatta and, much later, his return to earth following his alleged (but undocumented) ascent to heaven to preach to his mother.

Il Poya
Celebrates several events, especially the obtaining of "vivarana" (assurance of becoming a Buddha) by the Bodhisatara Maitria, and the sending out of 60 disciples by the Buddha to spread his teachings.

Haj Festival
The tenth day of the Muslim month of Haj, when the faithful make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Local families celebrate by feasting and visiting family members, especially those who have made the pilgrimage previously.

Id-UI-Fitr (Ramazan Festival)
This day, ending the Islamic period of fasting, is attended with joy and festivals.

Christmas Day
Christmas is celebrated by the Christian community in Sri Lanka.