Esala Perahera in Kandy

It's a procession of abt 30 elephants, all beautifully decorated with clothes ornamented with gold embroidery and lights, which is in the evening very spectacular. The elephants are accompanied by hundreds of dancers, drummers, torchbearers and musicians, all in festive clothes.
The climax of the pageant is when the Maligawa Tusker (chief elephant), carrying shrine with the golden, bell-shaped casket with the Tooth Relic, appears.
The smaller picture: Detail of the golden bell-shaped casket with the Tooth Relic.

Date of Perahera is every year different. Perahera ends with the full moon. It depends on the astrologer from the Temple of Tooth, who decides in April according to the constellation of the stars, whether it will be in July or August. The pageant begins than 10 days earlier.