Gangaramaya Temple, Colombo (must see)

Gangaramaya Temple is one of the most important temples in Colombo. The Navam Perahara, which started in 1979, attracted more than a million spectators this year to the Gangaramaya Temple, at Hunupitiya, Colombo-02 on the banks of the picturesque Beira Lake. President Mahinda Rajapaksa placed the relics casket on the tusker before the commencement of the Perahara. Chief incumbent of the Gangaramaya Temple, Venerable Galaboda Gnanissara Nayaka Thera also participated in the occasion.

The annual event of Gangarama Navam Perahara is Colombo's grandest outdoor parade on the events calendar. It is one of the most colorful and prestigious Buddhist cultural pageants held in Sri Lanka. The event has as many as 1000 performers. Dancers and drummers from around the country join together to take part in a magnificent procession of more than 100 beautifully decorated elephants to displays of Sri Lanka's traditional forms of art and dance. All the participants add colour and vibrancy with their colourful traditional costumes.