Navam Maha Perahera of the Gangarama Temple – Colombo 

The Navam Full Moon Poya Day in February has particular meaning for Buddhists. To mark this day, the Gangarama Temple has conducted the Navam Maha Perahera pageant on February 22nd and 23rd , 2024. Many skills in traditional Kandyan arts are showcased at the event. Furthermore, the Perahera promotes community cohesion since individuals of many races and religions go to observe the celebrations. The Gangaramaya Temple, in collaboration with students from the Sri Jinarathana Technical College, has organized the Navam Maha Perahera for 2024, marking it as Sri Lanka’s most colourful and prestigious Buddhist cultural pageant. This grand event starting at 7:00 PM on both days, and showcased a blend of spiritual celebration and cultural heritage, featuring a vibrant parade with majestic elephants, traditional dancers, and various performers​.

The Navam Maha Perahera, a significant cultural and religious event, is meticulously prepared by the young members of the Gangaramaya Temple, including students of the Sri Jinaratana Vocational Training Institute. This collaboration highlights the community’s involvement in preserving and celebrating rich cultural traditions. The Perahera offers a platform for showcasing traditional Sri Lankan dances and performances, attracting thousands of devotees and tourists​.

Each year, the event garners attention for its spiritual significance and cultural showcase, including traditional drummers, dancers, and elaborately decorated elephants parading through the streets of Colombo. This celebration honours Buddhist traditions and aims to foster peace, harmony, and unity in the community.

The Navam Maha Perahera of the Gangaramaya Temple began in 1979, initiated under the patronage of then Prime Minister, R. Premadasa. It was developed on a grand scale by the chief incumbent Ven. Devundara Vacissara Thera and his pupil, Ven. Galboda Gnanissara Thera. This annual event has grown to become one of the most significant and vibrant cultural and religious celebrations in Sri Lanka, featuring a grand procession with caparisoned elephants, traditional dancers, and performers from across the country

About gangarama Temple

Gangaramaya is one of Colombo’s oldest Buddhist temples, founded in the late 1800s by the famed scholar monk Hikkaduwa Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thera.

Following the death of Venerable Sri Sumangala, his prominent disciple Devundera Sri Jinaratana Nayake Thera took over temple governance. He was the one who established the groundwork for transforming the little temple into an international reckoning institute.

The Ven. Devundara Keerthi Sri Sumangala Jinaratana Vacissara Thera, the teacher of the Ven. Galboda Gnanissara, the second chief incumbent, strove to make the Gangaramaya what it is today: a place of prayer, a seat of learning, and a cultural centre. The official website for Gangaramaya Temple is https://gangaramaya.com/