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'Decorated Elephants': Sri Lanka's Esala Perahera 'Tooth' Festival

Published August 15th, 2019 - 12:21 GMT

The Kandy Esala Perahera, known as The Festival of the Tooth, is a grand festival celebrated with elegant costumes and is held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

 A unique symbol of Sri Lanka, the procession consists of many traditional local dances such as fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances and various other cultural dances, in addition to the elephants who are usually adorned with lavish garments

On the other hand, the festival ends with the traditional diya-kepeema ritual, a water cutting ceremony which is held at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, Kandy, according to Wikipedia.

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In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 participants lead elephants decorated for the "Esala Perahera" festival during a parade near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 km from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 participants lead elephants decorated for the "Esala Perahera" festival during a parade near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 km from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

The Temple of the Tooth, Buddhism's holiest shrine on the island, holds the annual festival with traditional drummers and dancers as well as nearly 100 tamed elephants. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

The Temple of the Tooth, Buddhism's holiest shrine on the island, holds the annual festival with traditional drummers and dancers as well as nearly 100 tamed elephants. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 musicians perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 musicians perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 participants lead elephants decorated for the "Esala Perahera" festival during a parade near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 km from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
The Temple of the Tooth, Buddhism's holiest shrine on the island, holds the annual festival with traditional drummers and dancers as well as nearly 100 tamed elephants. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 musicians perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 participants lead elephants decorated for the "Esala Perahera" festival during a parade near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 km from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 participants lead elephants decorated for the "Esala Perahera" festival during a parade near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 km from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
The Temple of the Tooth, Buddhism's holiest shrine on the island, holds the annual festival with traditional drummers and dancers as well as nearly 100 tamed elephants. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
The Temple of the Tooth, Buddhism's holiest shrine on the island, holds the annual festival with traditional drummers and dancers as well as nearly 100 tamed elephants. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 musicians perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 musicians perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP
In this photograph taken on August 14, 2019 dancers perform during the "Esala Perahera" festival near the Buddhist temple of the Tooth in the ancient hill capital of Kandy, some 116 kilometres from Colombo. Lakruwan WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

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