6 Not-to-Be-Missed Cultural Festivals in Sri Lanka – Enjoy Exotic and Enthralling Celebrations!
As its name indicates, this famed festival is conducted at Kataragama, a rather far-flung town in the south of the island nation. Interestingly, this celebration occurs in the same timeframe as the Kandy Esala Perahera. Whilst the Kataragama Festival is observed by Hindus and Buddhists, people of other faiths, including Muslims and the indigenous Veddahs, also take part in it. In the course of the festivities, you may observe parades featuring elephants, dancers, musicians, jugglers, fire eaters and more.
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Best Things to Do in Kataragama—On Your 2025 Holiday to Sri Lanka
An important place of worship in Sri Lanka, this shrine is dedicated to the god Kataragama and the war god Murugan, drawing devotees from across Asia. Although predominantly belonging to the Hindu religion, Kataragama is also an important place of worship for Buddhists. The Kataragama Maha Devalaya takes centre stage, and is crowded with worshippers partaking in various rituals. One such tradition is coconut dashing—whole, husked coconuts are lit up using camphor, before being thrown at a special fenced-off boulder inside the temple premises. The throw is meant to shatter and break the coconut, thereby signifying the granting of any request made by the person dashing it. Regardless of your familiarity with the culture, exploring the temple and the rituals that take place will be fascinating. Just make sure to dress in modest attire, respecting the place as a religious site. If you choose to stay at a nearby hotel like Mandara Rosen Kataragama, located less than 15 minutes from the shrine, you can easily get there to witness the iconic early morning or late night rituals—a breeze while you enjoy a stay at one of the best hotels in Kataragama.
