Posted 13 Jul 2010
People visiting or teaching English in Sri Lanka may wish to attend a festival, which celebrates a Hindu god and the Buddha, this summer.
From July 15th until August 24th, the region of Kandy partakes in Esala Perahera, a pageant dedicated to religion.
Those teaching English in the area could witness men fulfilling their vows to the Hindu God Skanda by walking in a harness with spikes on their back, accompanied by a procession.
The event is held in the Buddhist month of Esala and those teaching English will be able to witness a religious festival right in front of them.
More than 100 decorated elephants, fire-juggling acrobats, traditional dancers, whip-crackers, thousands of pilgrims and oboe-tooting musicians take part in the procession.
Parades occur every night at dusk, getting longer until the final night when the pageantry ends.
This event has occurred since about 300 AD and is held to invoke the blessings of the Gods for rain, fertility, good health and success.
It is a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and a copy of a golden reliquary said to contain the tooth of the Buddha is carried on the back of the largest elephant.
Buddha was a spiritual teacher who founded Buddhism.
Category: Africa, Living Abroad
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