Sri Lanka Through the Year
There always seems to be some
festivity or celebration taking place in Sri Lanka at any given time. With
Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians making up the country’s population,
most events are religious in nature. Many of the Buddhists and Hindu
festivities feature elaborate processions with dancers, drummers and even
elephants, and attract pilgrims from around the island. Buddhist, Hindu and
Muslim festivals follow the lunar calendar and their dates vary from year to
year. All full moon or poya days in Sri Lanka are public holidays and are
associated with an event in the life of the Buddha or the history of Buddhism.
On poya days, Buddhists visit nearby temples with offerings, and places of
entertainment are often closed. In addition to religious events, several other
holidays such as National Day, celebrating Sri Lanka’s independence, are also
observed.
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