Festival of the Tooth 2016

The Festival of the Tooth, also known as Esala Perahera, is celebrated from August 08 until August 18, 2016 in the town of Kandy in Sri Lanka, in honor of Buddha. Due to the lunisolar calendar the date in the Gregorian solar calendar varies from year to year. As the name suggests, the festivities are about a tooth of Buddha, which is kept in a especially for this relic build Temple, the Sri Dalada Maligawa, not accessible to the public. Legend says one of Buddha's followers has taken this tooth from the pyre, as Buddha was cremated. Later, the tooth was smuggled to Sri Lanka, where it is still preserved today.

Celebrated is the Festival of the Tooth with colorful and musical processions on which colorfully decorated and illuminated elephants can be seen. Although only a replica of the casket with Buddha's tooth is used for the festivities, it doesn't keep the Buddhists to take part on the processions in a good mood. Over time, the Festival of the Tooth was incorporated with the festival in honor of the rain gods. Both festivals are still celebrated together and also known as Esala Perahera in Sri Lanka today.