Festivals in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, having a history as long as many ancient civilizations, positioned at the crossroads of the East and the West, and being a multicultural society, celebrates a wide variety of festivals, ceremonies and events.

Every year on or about April 13 Sinhalese and Tamil people celebrate Sinhalese and Tamil New Year Festival, Muslims celebrate Ramadan and Haj while Christians celebrate Easter and Christmas is celebrated in December. Esala Perahera (A-suh-luh peh-ruh-ha-ruh) is a grand festival in the month of Esala held in Sri Lanka. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and richly decorated elephants. There are fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances and various other cultural dances. The elephants are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional 'diya-kepeema'. The elephant is paraded around the city carrying a casket venerated by Buddhists as bearing the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha.

Festivals and events by Gregorian calendar dates

(This order may differ from year to year due astrological and astronomical reasons)

January

• January - Duruthu Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
• January - The Initial Aluth Sahal Mangallaya (New Rice Festival) at the Temple of the Tooth; - (Customary/Sinhalese/Agriculture related)
• January - Patti Pongal - (Religious/Hindu/Agriculture related)
• January - Patti Kiri Ithirima - (Customary/Sinhalese/Agriculture related)

February

• February - The National Day (Independence Day) - (Customary/Political/Commemorating the Political Freedom attained from the British Empire)
• February - Navam Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

March

• March - Maha Shivaratri - (Religious/Hindu)
• March - Milad-Un-Nabi - (Religious/Islam)
• March - Medin Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
• March - Good Friday - (Religious/Catholic/Christian)
• March - Easter - (Religious/Catholic/Christian)

April

• April - Day Prior to Sinhalese and Tamil New Year - (Religious/Customary/Buddhist/Hindu/Sinhalese/Agriculture related/Astrology related)
• April - Sinhalese and Tamil New Year - (Religious/Customary/Buddhist/Hindu/Sinhalese/Agriculture related/Astrology related)
• April - National herbal oil ceremony - (Customary/Buddhist/Sinhalese/Astrology related)
• April - Bak Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

May

• May - May Day - (Customary/Political)
• May - Watching the new moon for the new Solar year - (Customary/Astrology related)
• May - Vesak Full Moon Poya (Vesak) - (Religious/Buddhist)

June

• June - Poson Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
• June - Ramazan Festival - (Religious/Muslim)

July

• July - Esala Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

August

• August - Nikini Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
• August - Esala Perahera - (Customary/Religious/Political/Buddhist/Hindu/Sinhalese)

September

• September - Binara Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)

October

• October - Vap Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
• October - Deepavali - (Religious/Hindu)

November

• November - Il Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
• Haj Festival - (Religious/Islam)

December

• December - Unduvap Full Moon Poya - (Religious/Buddhist)
• December - Christmas - (Religious/Catholic/Christian)