19th February 2023 17:50:34 Hours
The 'Janaraja Perahera' of the historic Temple of the Tooth Relic that coincides with the 75th National Independence Ceremony and organized at the request of the government got underway in Kandy on Sunday (19) evening in the presence of a gathering including HE the President and Hon Prime Minister.
The procession commenced from the temple's Magul Maduwa premises and wended its way along Dalada Veediya, Yatinuvara Veediya, Kanda Veediya and Raja Veediya before it returned to the same venue. The spectacle that included a large number of caparisoned elephants, dancers, flag holders and whip crackers added glamour and colour to the spectacle. A large crowd watched it.
Troops of the 11 Division on the directions of the Commander of the Army extended their best support for preparation of infrastructure needs and security arrangements in connection with the ' Janaraja Perhera'.
The Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dr. Bandula Gunawardana, Vidura Wickramanayaka, Keheliya Rambukwella, Mahinda Amaraweera, Dr. Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, Ali Sabri, Manusha Nanayakkara, Jeevan Thondaman, State Ministers Dilum Amunugama, Anuradha Jayaratne, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President on National Security Mr Sagala Ratnayake, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne (Retd), Chief of Defence Staff, General Shavendra Silva, Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage and diplomats gathered to watch the ’Janaraja Perahara’.
The ‘Janaraja Perahera’ was first organized in 1875 to celebrate the arrival of the Duke of Wales, the son of Queen Victoria, to Ceylon. The procession was also held in 1954 when Queen Elizabeth II, the then-Head of State of Sri Lanka, visited the country. The Queen watched the ‘Janaraja Perahera’ from the Patthirippuwa. In 1981, a similar procession was held, and the Queen Elizabeth II watched the procession from a special platform built in the Maha Maluwa, the main courtyard.
The Temple of the Tooth Relic only organizes special processions, like the ‘Janaraja Perahera’ at the request of the government on significant occasions in the country. The last time the ‘Janaraja Perahera’ was held was in 1987 when than Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa inaugurated the ‘Golden Canopy’ of the Temple of the Tooth Relic.
