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Ratnapura's Maha Saman Devale perahera, held in August or September, is often called second only to Kandy's, with Sabaragamuwa dancers and a giant Bamba figure.
The Maha Saman Devalaya in Ratnapura is the main shrine of God Saman, the guardian deity of Adam's Peak (Sri Pada) and of the Sabaragamuwa region. Its annual perahera, held in August or September, is often described as the grandest in the country after the Esala Perahera in Kandy.
The festival follows a sequence of old rituals over about two weeks. It opens with pirith chanting and the planting of the kap, a ceremonial wooden post, then moves through smaller processions inside the devale grounds before the main peraheras take to the streets of Ratnapura. It ends with a water cutting ceremony.
The processions include decorated elephants, whip crackers, drummers and dance troupes, with a strong showing of the Sabaragamuwa dance style, the third of Sri Lanka's classical dance traditions alongside Kandyan and low country. The highlight unique to this perahera is the Maha Bamba Kolama, a giant figure carried and danced through the streets that you will not see anywhere else.
The devale itself is worth a visit by day. It was destroyed by the Portuguese and later rebuilt, and in the grounds you can see a carved stone slab showing a Portuguese soldier. Ratnapura is also Sri Lanka's gem city, so many visitors combine the perahera with a trip to the gem markets.
The shrine itself has a long history. It was founded in the 13th century by Aryakamadeva, a minister of King Parakramabahu II, who is said to have built it after a successful gem mining expedition. The Portuguese razed it around 1618 and built a fort and a church on the site, and the devale was later restored on its original ground.
For the perahera, arrive before dark on the final nights to find a place along the route, and bring an umbrella, since Ratnapura is one of the wettest parts of the island even in August. The town is about three hours from Colombo by road, so staying the night makes the evening far more relaxed.
At a glance
- When: Usually in August
- Duration: About 2 weeks (August or September)
- Venue: Maha Saman Devalaya, Ratnapura
- Organizer: Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya
- Entry: Free