The annual Perahera of the Sri Dalada Maligawa will be held from August 21 to 31 in keeping with the age-old traditions and customs of royal kings.
Local and foreign pilgrims and tourists are expected to throng Kandy to witness the most historic Perahera of Sri Lanka. The traditional Kap planting ceremony of the four Devalayas of the Sri Dalada Maligawa will be held on August 17 at the auspicious time of 6.12 a.m.
The first Kumbal Perahera will parade the streets on August 21. Kandy SSP Chamil Rathnayake told the Sunday Observer yesterday that nearly 6,000 police officers will be deployed to ensure the security of the pilgrims and the spectators during the Perahera.
Security personnel of the three Security Forces and the Special Task Force of the police will also be deployed. The first Randoli perarhera will parade the streets on August 26 and the final Randoli perahera will parade the streets on August 30, Nikini Full Moon Poya day. Diyawadana Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa Pradeep Nilanga Dela said the water cutting ceremony of this historic Buddhist shrine in Kandy will be held on August 31 and the daytime perahera will parade the streets on this day.