Vesak Festival - May 14th

Vesak is the main Buddhist religious festival in Sri Lanka. During this time, people celebrate the triple anniversary of Lord Buddha - his birth, his attaining of Enlightenment and his passing away into Nirvana.
Also known as the Buddhist Festival of Light, colorful bamboo framed lanterns adorn the interior of every home and incredible luminous displays decorate the streets of most towns. Visit Bhauddoloka Mawatha, the main street in Colombo, to catch this glowing spectacle in full glory.
Vesak marks the first month of the Buddhist Calendar. This is a day spent in reflective prayer as people cease wordly pursuits and engage themselves in religious activities. Devotees Buddhists pray in temples from dawn until the dusk. As the sun sets, devotees partake in processions and return to the temples in the evening to hear monks read stories from sacred texts.
Stalls on the roadside distribute free refreshments to passers-by and there are some fantastic mime and street theatre performances, staged on tall platforms near temples in cities and towns throughout the country.

 

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“Leading Tourism Newspapers Endorse Sri Lanka Tourism Promotional Campaign in China”

The latest issues of leading Chinese newspapers namely “China Tourism News” and “Oriental Morning Post” have heavily endorsed Sri Lanka Tourism promotional strategy and campaigns being carried out in Beijing and Shanghai over several months period starting from last year. The cover story of “China Tourism News” states that “Sri Lanka has seen a rapid growth in number of Chinese Tourists visiting Sri Lanka” and the Oriental Morning Post article says ‘Sri Lanka the Fascinating country causing a climax in Shanghai”

The Full articles as appeared in the newspapers are inserted below:

Article 01 : Rapid Growth in number of the Chinese Tourists visit Sri Lanka – China Tourism News – Published on 28th February 2014

Article 02 : Sri Lanka the Fascinating country causing a climax in Shanghai - Oriental Morning Post - Published on 7th March 2014

Read More:- http://www.srilanka.travel/travel_news?news=224

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CNNGo Featured on Sri Lanka

 

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Sri Lanka Attracts High End French Tourist Group

The growing demand from incentive Travelers in the MICE tourism segment had increased quite sharply over the past years who are traveling mainly for the purpose business and investment. Sri Lanka Tourism has identified MICE segment as a key driver of tourism growth and a contributor for overall economic development of Sri Lanka. As a result of the Wonder of Asia promotional campaign initiated by Ministry of Economic Development and Sri Lanka Tourism in Europe, Sri Lankan Travel agents have been receiving many up market incentive groups to Sri Lanka during the recent past. One of Sri Lanka’s leading travel agents Connaisance De Ceylon received a group of 130 pax incentive group from Toulouse – France on 26th March which is latest addition to the group incentive travelers visiting the country.

 

Read more:- http://www.srilanka.travel/travel_news?news=226

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Sinhala & Tamil New Year Festival- April 13th & 14th

When the sun moves from Pisces to Aries, the Sinhalese Buddhist and Tamil Hindus in Sri Lanka join forces to celebrate Aluth Avurudda – their mutual new year.

This is also coincides with the time when the harvest ends, so the colorful fruit from the trees is collected in bulk to fuel the week long celebrations. Festivities are prepared well in advance and most of the country grinds to a halt as hundreds travel home to be with their families and stores close down in their wake – it can be impossible to track down the simplest of things just before it all starts.

The rituals begin with the cleaning of the house and lighting of an oil lamp, and woman congregate to bash on the raban (drum) to warn others of the incipient change in the year. If you fail to hear this, a storm, firecrackers is bound to hammer the point home. Families indulge in a variety of rituals which are carefully determined by astrological calculations-from lighting the fire to making the kiri bath (milk rice) bath, to entering into the first business transaction and eating the first morsels.

Once these are done, the partying really begins as families mingle in the streets, homes are thrown open and children are left out to play. The ubiquitous planting is dished out alongside celebratory feasts of kaung (small oil cake) and kokis (small and light sweetmeat, originally from Netherlands).

Aluth Auvrudda has become an important national holidays for both the cultures of the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Tamil Hindu Sri Lankans, and is unique as such , as it is not celebrated elsewhere in the world. 

If you are planning to visit Sri Lanka during this time of the year, please speak to your accommodation provider/ tour guide to see any events around. You will be able to participate in traditional Sinhala games and experience the essence of Sri Lanka.

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