The government is taking steps to preserve the ancient traditions and customs of the Kandy Esala Great Perahara Festival by gazetting the participation of individuals and the roles of government institutions involved. This initiative follows a request made to President Ranil Wickremesinghe through the Perahara Memorandum.
Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela stated that a discussion was held at the Dalada Maligawa under the chairmanship of President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake to appoint committees for drafting the implementation of this program as per the President’s instructions.
To ensure the authenticity of the Perahara, all items, including items presented by Sri Dalada Palace and Satara Maha Dewala, will be specified and gazetted. This measure aims to prevent any future distortion of the Perahara by including unauthorized elements. Additionally, the roles of government institutions involved in the Perahara will be specified and gazetted separately.
Furthermore, Diyawadana Nilame emphasized that individuals who are not recognized Basnayake Nilames of temples will no longer be permitted to participate in the Kandy Esala procession dressed as Nilames. This decision aims to uphold the integrity of the Perahara and prevent unauthorized participation by individuals not officially affiliated with recognized temples.
