Sri Lanka(2) Culture & History(off off Tokyo): August 7-12, 2011

I could have an opportunity to Perahera festival in Kandy during my stay in Sri Lanka. I was lucky.

Perehera started as a local festival to cerebrate local gods about 2000 years ago. But it was connected with Buddhism Temple (Temple of the Tooth) and became a nation’s important event in the 18th century.



The festival continues two weeks every year. Hundreds of elephants and dancers walk across the streets and show their performances.

The performance was scheduled to start in the evening, but thousands of people were already waiting on the road sides when I arrived Kandy in early afternoon.

The march and performance continued about three hours. The elephants moved in order, which was a big surprise to me.





I visited all six world cultural heritage in Sri Lanka. They are:

Sacred City of Anuradhapura


Sri Lanka's first capital (BC 380-AD century). Became World heritage in 1982.

Famous bodhi tree (lime tree) is planted. Buddha attained enlightenment under a tree in Buddha Gaya in northern India in the 4th cantury B.C. The branch of the tree was imported into Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C. and was planted here. The original tree in India has already been dead.

There are also histrical important stupas in the city.

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa

Sri Lanka's second capital (10-12 century)
Famous Buddha scalptures are curved in a hige rock. The lying one is 14 meter long.

Sacred City of Kandy

Sri Lanka's 3rd and last capital(15-19 century)
Perahera festival is held here. Temple of the Tooth keeps Buddha's tooth.

Ancient City of Sigiriya

Sigiriya is the ruin of a rock fort (or Palace) in a jungle. It was a tenporal capital of the country (only 11 years) in the late 5th centyry. The history of Singiriya is connected with a tragic (mad?) king.

King Kasyapa killed his father and became a king and moved tha apital from Anuradhapura to Singiriya. But he was later defeated by his brother and killed himself.

The palace was decolated with beautiful paintings. The pictures of half-naked women are especially famous.

Only 18 paintings out of about 500 remain.

Golden Temple of Dambulla


There are five temples in a stone mountain in Dambulla.

Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications

Galle originally developed as a port to be used for trades with Arabic people. Portuguese established a fort in the late 16th century. The fort was controlled by Dutch people in the 17th centyry. The ruler changed to British later.


The indian Ocean spreads in front of the fort.