I think nowhere else religious procession reminds a street carnival so much as it does in Sri Lanka. This processions are called peraheras and are staged around the country at regular intervals during a year, dedicated to dirrerent gods and regional deities.Main purpose of any perahera is either to invoke their blessings or to give thanks to them for favours received. The most known and grand is the Dalada Perahera which is held in the streets of Kandy to honour the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha.
The season of peraheras in Sri Lanka is July, August, September. We visited the country in October so I didn't expect to see any perahera. But I was lucky: on the road to Galle we practically ran into one. That was amazing experience. First came the whip-crackers, who heralded the procession's arrival; next the flag-bearers - beautiful ladies in traditional dresses; then decorated elephants, drummers, musicians, acrobats and numerous dancers in different costumes.
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