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Culture
Sri Lankans are friendly and smiling people . Religion
and social l activity are strongly embedded in the culture.
Sri Lankans has a multitude of colorful festivals of various
communities throughout the year.
Poya
Days
Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country and most of its festivals
are based on the lunar calendar. Every full moon day,
also known as 'Poya day ' is a holiday for Srilankans
. The Lord Buddha preached to his followers the importance
of spiritual practices during the full moon day and Sri
Lankan Buddhists spend these days in meditation and prayers.
Each Poya day is related to an incident in the life of
the Buddha or to a historic Buddhist event
January (Duruthu)
The month of January in Singhalese calendar called as
Duruthu. The Duruthu Perahara is conducted in this month
at Kanalniya Temple. This celebration commemorate the
first visit of Lord Buddha to Srilanka.
Thai
Pongal is a festival celebrated by Hindu community in
Srilanka on the 14th or 15th of January . This festival
is basically to honor God. 'Pongal' in Tamil means boiling
over. After worshipping at a Hindu temple, a large pot
of rice is cooked in spicy, sweetened milk and left to
boil over.
February
(Navam)
National Day is celebrated on the 4th of February. It
commemorates the day Sri Lanka gained independence from
Britain in 1948.Cultural festival Navam Perahera is conducted
on the full moon day in February. This festival is held
in Colombo.
March
(Medhin)
Easter- This is celebrated by Christians in Srilanka.
April (Bak)
Sinhala
and Tamil New Year- This holiday signifies the beginning
of the New Year for both Buddhists and Hindus. This is
celebrated in grand scale and indicates the completion
of the solar circuit and is celebrated around the second
week of April.
Srilankns wear new clothes on this day and horoscopes
are foretold. Money is exchanged among families and friends
on auspicious time known as 'ganu denu'. Special food
items and sweetmeats are prepared and in the villages
various New year games are played. It is a day spent in
fun-filled activities.
May (Vesak)
Vesak - Buddhists honor the birth, enlightenment and death
of Lord Buddha on the full moon day in May. Buddhists
visit temples with flowers and offerings. In addition
to the religious activities it is also a festival of light
and color. Buddhist houses are decorated with oil lamps
and paper lanterns known as 'Vesak Buckets'. Large pandols
which explain Lord Buddha's life are erected throughout
the country along with puppet shows and open-air theatre
performances. As Buddhists are encouraged to offer prepared
food and drinks for poor Every where you will see booths
or 'dansals' offering free food and drinks.
June (Poson)
Poson
is well celebrated in the town of Mihintale, in the central
region of the Island, As this is the place where Buddhism
was introduced to Srilanka in the 02nd century B.C by
Mahinda the son of Emperor Asoka in India.
July (Nikini)/August (Binara)
Famous
Kandy Esala Perahera takes place on the full moon day
in August and pays homage to the Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha.
The sacred Tooth is carried in a grand procession on the
streets in Indy city that includes decorated elephants
temple , acrobats, drummers, trumpeters, pipers, traditional
dancers, torchbearers, and whip-crackers. This festival,
which has been described as the "most spectacular
event in Asia..
Vel
is a Hindu festival held in Colombo in July or August
to venerate the God of War. A gold painted chariot, containing
weapons of this fierce god is carried in a procession
.
Kataragama,
a town in the south of the island attracts pilgrims
from every part of the country. This is a popular pilgrim
station in Silence. This specialty of Kataragama is
all communities in Srilanka participates for the festival
. The temple 'Kataragama Devale' is a very important
place for Buddhists and Hindus. Devotees make or fulfill
pledges during this period, in return for various favors
from the God of the Kataragama Devale. You will find
pilgrims partaking in religious ceremonies as well as
ritualistic torture practices which include rolling
naked on scorching sand, walking barefoot over searing
hot coals, flailing, piercing a spear through one cheek,
or skewering their tongues.
October
(Vap)/ November (il)
Deepavali is the Hindu festival Deepavali means lights.
It is held at the end of October or at the beginning of
November. Oil lamps are lit to denote the good over evil
as it signifies the Indian god king Rama's return from
Sri Lanka. The festival also honor Lakshmi, the goddess
of prosperity.
December
(Unduvap)
Christmas Day - the celebration of the birth of Jesus
Christ.
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