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| Festivals of Sri Lanka |
Sri Lanka is one of the countries that are never free form lively festival a whole year round. Visitors will have an exceptional experience for witness its bright and colorful tradition of Sri Lanka if they stumble on the festive period. Most festivals in Sri Lanka are related to religion and depend on the lunar calendar, encompassing Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian festivals. Apart from the religious holidays, Sri Lankan people also enjoy their national holidays, proving well the entertainment -lover-mind of people in this country. The followings are some major festivals of each religion in Sri Lanka. |
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| Hindu Festivals |
Besides India, Diwali festival is equally celebrated with great devotion in Sri Lanka. Diwali the festival of lights, lamps, rituals and is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil, according to legend on this auspicious day Lord Rama return to Ayudhya, from 14 years of exile. Goddess Lakshmi, known as the goddess of wealth is also worshipped on the day and a grand puja celebration is organized in every Hindu house.
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| Buddhist festivals |
Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka are more recurrent as the country is dominated by Buddhist faith. With respect, on full moon day of every month religious ceremony are performed by the followers of Buddhists, the day is called Poya Day. The main full moon day celebrations are - Duruthu (January): Vesak (May): Poson (June): Esala (July/August): Unduvap (December). |
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| New Year Festival |
Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a traditional celebration that foretells the way of the sun from Pisces to Aries. The event is prominent throughout the island, following traditional customs with the emphasis on carnival celebration. The auspicious time is marked by the entry of the Sun from the zodiac sign of Pisces (the last phase of the Sun cycle) to Aries (the first phase of the Sun cycle). The festive period continues for about a week. |
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| Muslim festivals |
Muslim community is quite isolated from other ethnic group, their celebration are not then displayed to public. Most of Muslim festivals are also closely connected to religion. The main Muslim festivals are the Milad-un-Nabi or the birth of the Prophet Mohammed in December, Id-ul-Fitr marking the end of the holy fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the Haj festival when Muslims make their pilgrimages to the holy Muslim shrine in Mecca. |
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| Christmas festivals |
Christmas is also very much part of the island's festivities, and is celebrated with same fun and folic through out the island among all communities, especially Christians. In Colombo where people are preparing of Christmas and New Year celebrations. Christmas is mainly glamorous in Colombo and the coastal catholic areas, where the birth of Christ is celebrated with crackers, mid-night mass, family gatherings and joyous sharing with the poor. |
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