This year’s Kandy Esala perahera will continue without the participation of spectators in spite of the quarantine curfew, as a mark of honour to the Sacred Tooth Relic, Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva said.
This was decided on after the Government announced an islandwide quarantine curfew from 10.00 pm on Friday (August 20) until 4.00 am on August 30.
The procession will be held in keeping with health guidelines due to the prevailing pandemic.
The first Kumbal perahera of the Kandy Esala festival paraded the streets on August 13.
The Randoli perahera, which commenced on August 18, paraded the streets for over five days until its final procession on the night of the Nikini Full Moon Poya Day (today).
The Esala perahera festival will conclude with the ‘water cutting’ (Diya Kepeema) ceremony on August 23.