Esala Full Moon Poya Day
| Date | Type |
|---|---|
29 Jul 2026 Wednesday | BankPublicMercantile |
18 Jul 2027 Sunday | BankPublicMercantile |
Overview
Esala Poya, falling in July or August, commemorates the Buddha's first sermon after attaining enlightenment, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, or "Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion," delivered to five ascetics at the Deer Park in Isipathana, near present-day Sarnath in India. In Sri Lanka, the day is inseparable from the Kandy Esala Perahera, one of Asia's oldest and grandest processions, held to honour the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha housed at the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy. The relic's veneration dates back to its arrival in Sri Lanka from India in the 4th century CE, and the modern perahera, a multi-night spectacle of fire dancers, drummers, traditional Kandyan dancers and elaborately dressed elephants carrying replica relic caskets, builds over roughly ten nights leading up to the Poya itself, making it one of the country's single biggest tourist draws each year. Exact dates shift annually, so it's worth checking ahead if timing a visit around it.
Significance
The day traditionally commemorates the Buddha's first teaching (setting the "wheel of Dhamma" in motion) at Sarnath, and separately, it's linked to the conception of the Buddha and the start of his final rebirth in some traditions.
How it's observed
In Kandy, the Esala Perahera — a multi-night procession of dancers, drummers, fire performers and elaborately dressed elephants honouring the Sacred Tooth Relic — is one of Sri Lanka's biggest cultural events and a major tourist draw; check the specific dates each year as the full perahera runs for around ten nights building up to the Poya.
See the Sri Lanka long weekends list or use the interactive holiday planner.