The Kataragama Esala Festival is the most magnificent and colourful festival held annually for the gods of Kataragama. Held on the Esala Full Moon Poya Day, it includes elements such as the Maha Perahera, fire walking, where devotees walk the length of a pit containing a thick layer of red-hot coals, and water-cutting.

The Kataragama Perahera is closely intertwined with Buddhist tradition, starting from the Esala Full Moon Poya Day that Lord Buddha delivered his sermon to King Mahasena, leading to the creation of a Buddhist deity named Mahasena. This is also why the biggest annual festival consecrated to the God Kataragama is held in the month of Esala.

The annual Kataragama Esala Festival centres on the grand procession that leaves the main shrine for the Valli Amma Devayala every night for 15 days.

The ritual procession of the Kataragama Esala Perahera is conducted nightly during the waxing of the moon during the Esala month (July-August), and is celebrated as the culmination of the Esala Festival.

The Esala Perahera begins with a series of rituals that commences 45 days before. The most important part of the Esala Perahera is the procession of the sacred relics of the Maha Devalaya. These relics are taken out of the temple after the chanting of pirith and sprinkling of holy water throughout the temple. There is even an official rank issued by royal order for this purpose.

The 15-day ritual ends with the Esala Maha Perahera. Although all previous processions travel only on the designated route known as Perahera Street, the last Maha Perahera travels to the Kiri Vehera. The Maha Perahera ends with a return to the Maha Devalaya.

The festival culminates with the ‘diya kapeema’ or water-cutting ceremony conducted on the bank of the Menik Ganga, where the assembled throng bathes in the water, which is believed to be sacralised by the ritual and particularly efficacious in removing evil.

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