Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela confirmed to Lankasara that the annual Esala Perahera will commence on the 21st of this month at 2.26 am with the ceremony of planting of Kap at the four Maha Devalayas.
From that day onwards, the internal procession of the four devalayas of Natha, Vishnu, Pattini and Kataragama will be held for five days and the first Kumbal Perahera will take to the streets on July 25. Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela also stated that the Kumbal Perahera will take to the streets for five days from July 25 to July 29.
The first Randoli Perahera will take to the streets on July 30. The Randoli Perahera is scheduled to take to the streets until August 3, he said. The Diyawadana Nilame stated that the final Randoli Perahera will take to the streets on the night of August 15.
However, Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela further stated that this year’s Esala Perahera will be held without the participation of the people and arrangements have been made to broadcast it live on television channels.
