Kandy Esala Perahera - Part III

Had to edit this 3 times cause of the video clip. Hope it works now.
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Finally.. the final episode's here. =D It took me a while since I had to edit and fine tune the video clips (picked a few and merged into one) and I apologize again for its quality.

I'll post the video at the top, so click to play and when it buffers, click to pause. In the mean time read the article and see the pics. Once done scroll back up. The video will be ready to view. ^__^ (if you've got faster connection you can watch it right away too)



Here's the rest of the pics..


10.46pm: Kandyan dancers.

This group performed before 'Diyawadana Nilame', the chief lay custodian of Temple of the Tooth. Clad in a glamorous attire reminiscing the past kings, he parades right after the golden casket bearing sacred relics.


10.47pm: Diyawadana Nilame walking majestically under a 'muthu kudaya' (a big ornate parasol)


10.48pm: Flag bearers (looks more clear ne?)

I'm going to fast forward from now on. (since I've to wrap it up with this post)


10.55pm: The tusker bearing the sacred insignia of Natha Devalaya (shrine dedicated to god Natha) escorted by its counterparts.

It's a common belief among folks here that god Natha is the very Bodhisattva who is next in line to attain Buddhahood as Maithree Buddha.

From the pics below you will notice each devala perahera with its own themed color, like I mentioned before. Natha - yellow, Vishnu - blue, Kataragama - red and Pattini - white.


10.58pm: This blue cart symbolizes the beginning of Vishnu Devala Perahera. (unfortunately I do not know what it's called formally or what it carries inside)


10.59pm: Traditional drummers


11.05pm: The tusker bearing the sacred insignia of Vishnu Devalaya. (that flashy blue looks stunning, right?)


11.15pm: The tusker of Kataragama Devalaya carrying the sacred insignia.


11.21pm: Dancers of 'Kohomba Kale'

These dancers carry 4 - 10ft tall multi-level decorated pots. Not only they bear the pot's weight, they also dance beautifully while balancing such tall structures on top of their heads! As they spin around the long frills on each level bloom like flowers.


11.24pm: Tusker bearing the sacred insignia of Pattini Devala Perahera.

Whether you've watched Esala Perahera on TV or from the premises, you'll notice that the main perahera and the first three Devala perahera don't have a single female performer!

It's an age old tradition for Esala Perahera that females don't take part. But there is an exception. The final Pattini Devala Perahera is full of them! It's cause goddess Pattini is a female herself, so naturally it is the only perahera we get to see female performers. Almost all Kohomba Kale dancers (you saw above) are also females representing Pattini Devala Perahera. *But if I remember right, the Kataragama Devala Perahera too had a few female dancers performing the peacock dance*

As this is the final Devala Perahera, the entire Esala Perahera comes to an end after this. As they have whip crackers to announce the beginning of perahera, there is Randoli (golden palanquins) to denote the ending.


11.24pm: close up of Pattini Devala tuskers

Notice how elaborate the tusker's costume looks?


11.25pm: Randoli of the four Devala

The End.

PS: In case you left the video to load and started reading, now's the time to check it out. ^__^