Sri Lanka is a welcoming and friendly country with a rich cultural landscape. Visiting Sri Lanka during one of the colourful festivals is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to anticipate and treasure.
The Sri Lankan way of life prioritises humility and happiness, focusing on simplicity and valuing nature’s beauty. History brought Indian and European influences to the country, blending to create the melded culture of today.
How history shaped Sri Lanka’s culture
Before colonisation, Sri Lankan kings often married Indian princesses, incorporating Indian culture into festivals and daily life while preserving the Sri Lankan identity, including the hospitality for which local people are known for.
The first Europeans to arrive in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) were Dutch, followed by the Portuguese and British. European explorers colonised parts of Sri Lanka, brought a strong European influence and established the tea industry.
The arts
Kandy, Sri Lanka by David Hein
Performing arts including folk dance encompass highly refined Kandyan dancing used at state ceremonies and religious rituals around Kandy. “Devil dancing” is more improvised and used at healing rites and exorcisms. Modern original dance choreography often incorporates Indian and Western influences and adaptations from Western dramatists, which are also evident in modern popular music.
Festivals in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has many festivals and celebrations across its different religions and ethnic groups, with cultural events occurring almost every month. Here are just of the few most popular festivals to visit and participate in:
New Year
The Sinhala-Tamil New Year is in April, at the end of the harvesting season when the sun enters the zodiac of Aries. The call of the Asian Koel in its breeding season can be heard leading up to the celebration on April 14th. Families prepare for the coming feast, buy gifts and reconnect with close relatives, preparing their homes to look their best for the New Year.
Games include a ‘lime and spoon’ race that resembles the English ‘egg and spoon race’, or climbing a greased 24m pole to capture the flag at the top. On April 13th people apply herbal oil to hair and take an outdoor shower, the first of a series of traditions with auspicious timings. Next is a visit to the temple, then boiling a pot of milk until it overflows to welcome prosperity in the New Year. A formal meal with gifts brings families and neighbours together to welcome the New Year.
Sri Lanka by Flickr
Vesak Poya
Sri Lanka by Flickr
Under the full moon in the lunar month of Vesak (May in the Gregorian calendar) is the “festival of lights”, the most important religious festival for Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Vesak acknowledges the milestones of the life of Gautama Buddha, his birth, enlightenment and nirvana after death. Families decorate their homes with oil lamps, flowers and colourful ‘kudu’ lantern arrangements. Each ‘kudu’ is decorative and unique. ‘Pandols’ are decorative storyboards with a moral tale associated with Buddha, narrated for passersby to enjoy. Nowadays some are digital to be more environmentally friendly. Roadside stalls called ‘dansal’ provide free food and drink to people, courtesy of donations and gifts from devotees.
Kandy Festival
The Kandy Esala Perahera or “Festival of the Tooth” is held in July and August in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. This is one of the most vibrant festivals in the country, spanning ten days starting from the new moon. The streets of Kandy come alive with magnificent festive processions that pay homage to Gautam Buddha’s sacred tooth relic. Dancers in opulent costumes and sparkling lights bring colour to the streets, while stately elephants complete the electric atmosphere.
For around 800 years after Buddha’s passing, people believed whoever owned the tooth had the divine right to rule, before the tooth travelled to Sri Lanka, a place Buddha once described as a safe haven, hidden in the hair of the princess of Hemamala. After various wars, the tooth was enshrined in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic at Kandy.
Kandy, Sri Lanka by Roy Bission
The five main temples of Kandy are decorated for the festival. Hushed silence precedes the beginning of the Perahera procession, which begins with cannon fire from the temple. Torchbearers and men cracking whips are followed by Buddhist flag bearers and drummers, musicians in silk robes with red sashes, dancers and acrobats, priests and servants of the temple and majestic elephants.
On the final day of the festival, a procession to the Mahaweli River for the ‘diya-kepeema’ (water cutting) ceremony takes place. Holy water is collected and preserved to clean the streets before the Perahera the following year.
Language and identity in Sri Lanka
Ethnicity, language and religion are closely intertwined in Sri Lankan identity.
Throughout the country, signs direct passersby in Sinhala, Tamil and English. While English is the language used for most government administration and commercial activities— an artefact of British colonisation—Sinhalese is the predominant language spoken amongst the Buddhist-Sinhalese who make up 70.2% of Sri Lanka’s population.
Tamil is widely spoken by Sri Lankan Moors/Muslims and ethnic Tamils/Hindus who make up a further 25% of the population. Language is important to identity for Sri Lankans, so acknowledging this and learning basic phrases can help to build connections with local people.
Religion in Sri Lanka
Buddhism has been the primary religion in Sri Lanka for around 2300 years, upheld by most Sinhalese. The principles of tolerance extend throughout daily interactions, informing culture, art and politics. Hinduism, Islam and Christianity are also found throughout Sri Lanka.
Hinduism is more prevalent in the north and east of Sri Lanka where there is a greater proportion of Tamils.
The concept of ‘face’ and social behaviour
‘Face’ is a quality that encompasses a person’s reputation, influence, dignity and honour. This cultural concept allows people to lose face, save face and build ‘face’, so people often act thoughtfully and considerately to nurture important social connections.
Delicacy is taken when pointing out an error by another. When asked for help or to solve a problem, Sri Lankans may often respond with ‘no problem’.
Experience the vibrance of Sri Lanka’s culture with a small group
A trip to Sri Lanka creates memories for a lifetime — enjoy unique experiences to celebrate alongside local people. Experience the collegiality of travel with a small group, explore temples and bustling marketplaces and be immersed in the rich traditions of Sri Lanka.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main culture in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka’s major ethnic groups are Sinhalese, who are often Buddhist, and Tamil, who are often Hindu. These two religions reached Sri Lanka from India, permeating the culture through art, architecture, literature, music and medicine.
What are dos and don’ts in Sri Lanka?
When visiting Sri Lanka, keep the following in mind:
- Cover your skin, except for hands and face, when visiting religious sites or temples
- Avoid turning your back to a statue of Buddha
- Be polite and even-tempered in public
- Avoid taking pictures of people without permission
- Avoid comparing Sri Lanka to India
What is the family culture in Sri Lanka?
Family connections are highly valued in Sri Lanka and central to many religious festivals and celebrations. Older family members are highly respected and three or four generations may share a home.