Bandarawela Poson Perahera 2023.

Poson, also known as Poson Poya, is an annual festival held by Sri Lankan Buddhists celebrating the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC. The festival is the most important Poya (full moon) holiday of the year and the second most important Buddhist holiday of the year, being surpassed in importance by Vesak. Poson is celebrated throughout the island. The festival is held in early June, coinciding with the June full moon.

This year was the second time after the Covid period that the Perahera was held in the month of June as usual. We visit this Poson Poya in Bandarawela city,
Both years I visited this exuberant spectacle. For the visitor who is not familiar with this phenomenon, it can seem confusing, the groups that pass by. You see elephants with a beautiful embroidered dress, one of them carries a sacred box in the procession, drummers accompany dance groups, vendors with anything and everything go through the streets. It does require patience from the spectator, the number of groups and elephants in this procession is such that it moves slowly, but that is part of this spectacle.

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Poson Perahera