Sinhala and Tamil New Year
Season or date: April 13-14
National New Year celebration marking harvest end and sun's movement. Traditional games and local dishes served everywhere.
Festivals in Sri Lanka
Discover traditional festivals and celebrations of this country
Festivals
Vesak Poya
Season or date: May full moon
Largest Buddhist festival celebrating Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and nirvana simultaneously. Streets decorated with lanterns and free food stalls opened.
Esala Perahera
Season or date: July-August
Procession festival at Kandy's Temple of the Tooth. Decorated elephants and traditional dances parade through night streets.
Pongal
Season or date: Mid-January
Tamil harvest thanksgiving festival. Offering Pongal made from new rice and milk.
Diwali
Season or date: October-November
Hindu festival of lights. Homes lit with lamps and people wear new clothes.
Hajj Festival
Season or date: 10th of Dhul Hijjah, Islamic calendar
Muslim Feast of Sacrifice. Meat distributed to the poor.
Christmas
Season or date: December 25
Grandly celebrated in western regions with many Christians, entire city illuminated.
Kataragama Festival
Season or date: July
Buddhist and Hindu fusion pilgrimage at southern Kataragama temple. Famous for fire-walking rituals.
Navam Perahera
Season or date: February
Night procession festival held at Colombo's Gangaramaya temple. Dance troupes from home and abroad participate.
Duruthu Perahera
Season or date: January full moon
Traditional procession held in Anuradhapura.
Public holidays
- Independence Day
- May Day
- Vesak Poya
- Poson Poya
- Sinhala and Tamil New Year
- Christmas
- Eid al-Fitr
- Diwali