The third Kumbal Perahera of the historic Esala Perahera of Senkadagalapura paraded the streets yesterday (20).
The third Kumbal Perahera parade began at 6.53 pm with the procession of the four great deities of Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Patthini and proceeded along Dalada Veediya, D.S. Senanayake Veediya, Colombo Veediya, Kotugodella Veediya, up Raja Veediya and back to the Sri Dalada Maligawa.
The second Kumbal Perahera paraded the streets yesterday (19) and the relic perahera casket was carried by the Janaraja elephants belonging to the elephant class of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. The Basnayake of the Natha Devalaya, A.W.S. Bandaranaike, represented the Sri Dalada Maligawa in the procession.
It was a special occasion to have the privilege of carrying the relic casket of Janaraja the elephant after a gap of 25 years.
After the death of the Raja elephant, who had carried the relic casket in the procession of the Sri Dalada Maligawa for many decades, the then Diyawadana Nilame Neranjan Wijeratne had requested the government to fill the gap and this elephant was offered to the Sri Dalada Maligawa by the then President J. R. Jayewardene.
The naming of this baby elephant, known as Arishta, born at the Dehiwala Zoological Park as Janaraja, was done in commemoration of the establishment of Sri Lanka as a republic.
Janaraja, who has a pair of tusks about seven feet long, was a rather mischievous elephant, so the use of elephants in the Esala Perahera was restricted.
However, with his advancing age, Janaraja has now been allowed to participate in the Perahera duties at the Sri Dalada Maligawa.
Nadeeka Daya Bandara – From Kandy.