Importance of the Esala Festival in Sri Lanka
The noteworthy events connected with this day include the night in which the bodhisattva was conceived in the womb of his mother Queen Maha Maya and later she gave birth to Prince Siddhartha who went on to attain Enlightenment and become the Buddha.
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| Suddhodana Shakya King’s, wife Queen Mahamaya the womb to conceive Gautama Buddha |
It was on a esala Full Moon day that Prince Siddhartha, at the age of 29, renounced his royal title along with his luxurious lifestyle and left his father's palace seeking truth and searching for a means to end universal suffering.
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| Prince Siddhartha left from the palace. |
It is the day that Prince Siddhartha renounced lay life in search of 'truth' and also the birth of Prince Rahula. After Englightnment, the Buddha preached his first sermon, the Dhammachakkappavattana Sutta, to the five ascetics at the 'Deer Park' near Benares on such a day.
Went to the Thawthisa heaven and conducting Wijam Bana to Maathru god.
Three months after the Buddha’s death, conducting a first Dharma Sangayana at Rajagahanuwara Wehara rock mountain, with contribution of Ajasath king, By Mahakashyapa arahath and 500 of arahath monks.
In BC 847 at Kithsiri Mewan Kings period, early first ceremony held to display tooth relic of buddha, brought from Kalinga country by Hemamala princes and Dantha prince.
By King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe, get Upali thera and other monks from Siam country, held a higher ordination in Sri Lanka first time.
Kataragama, Devinuwara, Kandy, Ratnapura, Ambekke, Alutnuwara Bellanwila, holding processions.
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| Conducting the first sermon after enlightenment by the Gautama Buddha. |
The other factors of the Esala Full Moon Poya Day.
Conducting the twin miracle, tree root at Gandamba, to control Theerthaka.Went to the Thawthisa heaven and conducting Wijam Bana to Maathru god.
Three months after the Buddha’s death, conducting a first Dharma Sangayana at Rajagahanuwara Wehara rock mountain, with contribution of Ajasath king, By Mahakashyapa arahath and 500 of arahath monks.
In BC 847 at Kithsiri Mewan Kings period, early first ceremony held to display tooth relic of buddha, brought from Kalinga country by Hemamala princes and Dantha prince.
By King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe, get Upali thera and other monks from Siam country, held a higher ordination in Sri Lanka first time.
Kataragama, Devinuwara, Kandy, Ratnapura, Ambekke, Alutnuwara Bellanwila, holding processions.
Esala Poya also signals the commencement of the 'Vas' retreat for monks.
Sri Lanka is normally held in the month of July/August. During this time many religious festivals and celebrations are held in different parts of the island. Specifically for the Esala Festival, colorful processions are taken out for several nights in Kandy, Kataragama, Kotte, Ratnapura, Ambekke, Alutnuwara, Bellanwila and Devinuvara.
The finest and most famous is the Esala Perahera, held at Kandy over the 10 days leading up to the Esala Poya day (late July or early August). The sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha carried at the head of an enormous procession which winds its way round and round the city by night.
The perahera becomes gradually longer and more lavish over the 10 days of the festival, until by the final night it has swollen to include a cast of hundreds of elephants and thousands of dancers, drummers, fire-eaters, acrobats and many others.
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