The Esala Festival at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy



 The Esala Festival at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy is a great cultural festival that showcases the culture and proud history of Sri Lanka.  In the year 2014, I was fortunate enough to participate in the Kandy Esala Perahera, a Hela Maha Kala Mangalya which has a long history dating back to the 310th year of King Kithsiri.  For eight years from then until today, I have had the opportunity to participate in the veneration of the Sacred Tooth Relic.  Tittapajjala Local Art Institute Chief Professor of the Art Institute . The foundation of my journey was laid under the guidance of Sumanaweera Guru Piyanan.  It was a special experience for me to learn about the history of the Temple of the Tooth in historic Kandy, the Esala Festival and the customs and traditions contained in it.


      Enriched with the art of Kandyan dance, the beauty of the Kandy Esala Festival attracts locals and foreigners alike.  Appreciating the dancers and musicians participating in the Kandy Esala Festival is also an important moment in the life of the dancers.  In 2016, I, who participated in the Esala Festival, also had the opportunity to receive the President's recognition for the first time.  I was also able to receive the Presidential Award in 2017.

                               Also in 2018, I was able to win the Presidential Award for "Outstanding Skills Drumming" that only a small number of people get lucky.  Receiving this award from His Excellency the President Maithripala Sirisena is an unforgettable and very important event in my life.

          It is a common thing for artists to be able to constantly experience life in the arts.  That is the experience I gained during the Esala Festival, an important milestone in my artistic life.  The Kandy Esala Perahera is a time to experience Buddhist religious practices, Sri Lankan proud history, fraternity as dancers, solidarity, respect for elders, organizing processions, and the opportunity to showcase artistic talents.  It was very helpful.

             It is our responsibility to preserve the slowly fading history of Sri Lanka, the Buddhist culture as well as the local art of Sri Lanka for future generations, and to fulfill that responsibility is one of the main goals of my life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  Amban river It is the main tributary of the Mahaweli River. It starts from the Matale and Nalanda mountains and joins the Mahaweli river near Dastota. It flows 62 miles through a series of small islands and joins the Mahaweli River. The Amban River is one of the most important rivers in Sri Lanka for agricultural purposes. King Mahasen crossed the Amban River and built the Elahera Anicut and dug a canal from there King Mahaparak‍nramab හු hu (1153-1186) crossed the Amban River at Angamedilla and built an anicut to draw water into the Parak‍nrama Sea through the Akasha Ganga. C.W. According to Mr. Nicholas, in the past it was also known as Ambanganga Karaganga. Evidence for this is given in the description given in the Poojavaliya: The Rajavali and the Buddha Rajavali give similar details.to draw water to the Minneriya Lake. Even during the reign of King Mahaparakannaramabahu, this river was known as Kara Ganga and the name Amban Ganga may have been derived from the names of the...
Read more
Image
 Let's Protect Our Environment Nature  Let's Protect Our Environment Nature is the most precious gift given to mankind and it's his duty to protect it, and show gratitude in return. Once the Red Indian Chief Seattle said " Earth is our Mother". He requested the White Chief of Washington to show equal respect that is shown to his mother, if he wanted to buy the Red Indian lands. With the Industrial revolution that took place in the 19th century the whole world experienced the advent of modernization and its glory. With the advancement of technology all kinds of sophisticated machines and vehicles were invented. As a result millions of factories came up destroying nature and affecting the lives of innocent animals. As a result of this development, the whole environment got polluted. The air, water, soil and the peace of the environment was struck with pollution. Trees were cut down, flowers withered. Birds and insects lost their inhabitants. Water lives were affecte...
Read more