The Navam Perahera hits the roads of Colombo with vibrant colours, sounds and sights an amazing mix of local dancers and drummers. Initiating at the famous Gangarama Temple, a Buddhist temple built on the banks of the charming Beira Lake which dominates the city's commercial hub, this pageant takes over the Colombo streets on two consecutive nights during the full moon in the month of February. This magnificent pageantry of the islands grand culture boasts over a hundred elephants clad in colourful attire taking part in the pageant.
As the cracking of whips in the air announces yet another Navam Perahera, visitors who flock to the area to be bewitched by the amazing pageant wait eagerly for the elephants, dancers and drummers to arrive. Children and students too join in with flags to add colour whilst the torch bearers add light. Music fills the air as the conch shells are blown and the local flutists take over. Percussion is provided by the various types of local drummers and all participants add colour and vibrancy with their colourful traditional costumes.
The pageant is also a contest amongst the various dance and drum clans of the island, and visitors will be amazed by the different types of traditional drumming styles and dancing styles which beautify this event. But the most captivating sight of all is the various elephants brought from all over the island that are obviously used to this type of parading.
This prestigious Buddhist pageant also boasts other types of entertainers such as stilt walkers. The pageant draws visitors and performers from all over the island and tourists from all over the world plan their vacations in Sri Lanka to coincide with this grand event, as this festival of culture, tradition and excitement portrays the spirit of the island.
Visitors to Sri Lanka interested in exploring the various sights and attractions of Colombo are assured of a range of accommodation options. In
Colombo Sri Lanka hotels are aplenty and for a selection of the best
Colombo hotel rooms visitors can try one of the online lodging option providers. Through such a provider travellers can compare amenities as well as prices to find the type of accommodation which best suits their travel needs. For accommodation right in the heart of the commercial hub of the city try the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, a hotel which affords modern facilities and easy access to the prestigious Navam Perahera.
