The custodians of the sacred Temple of the Tooth have released the official calendar for this year's Kandy Esala Perahera, with festivities spanning from mid to late August.
The Sri Dalada Maligawa has unveiled the complete schedule for the 2026 Kandy Esala Perahera, the annual religious procession that represents one of Sri Lanka's most important cultural observances. According to the announcement released by the temple's Media Bureau, the festival will unfold across two distinct phases beginning in mid-August.
The opening segment consists of five consecutive Kumbal Perahera nights, commencing on August 18 and concluding on August 22. These processions form the preliminary phase of the celebrations. The festival then transitions into its more elaborate Randoli Perahera stage, which begins on August 23 and continues for four successive nights through August 26.
The crescendo of festivities will feature the Grand Randoli Perahera on August 27, widely regarded as the festival's highlight. The observance concludes with the Day Perahera on August 28, which differs from the evening processions in its daytime scheduling. In total, the 2026 edition spans eleven days of processions and ceremonial activities.
