It was an early start as today we are going to the the Pera Hera Festival, it’s a Buddhist festival that happens when there is a new moon and everyone gets the day off! First, we went to the temple that had an old tree in the centre and looked like it had been there forever, all around elephants were tied up they were wearing beautifully embroidered and jewelled heavy costumes which covered them completely. They did not look as well cared for as the elephants at MEF they looked hot and tired but were to be used in the parade later.
We queued for the main temple, baskets of fruit bought by local people were blessed, we paid a small donation and went into another chamber in the temple. The rooms were decorated with images of Buddhas and his words of wisdom. An old woman passed her fruit offerings to a man by the curtained doorway and suddenly a huge chant began. The fruit was blessed and shared around. We then went in to a courtyard that had one roomed Buddhist and Hindu temples.
After which we walked around the parade, it was spectacular! There were elephants dressed in colourful fabrics with smartly dressed riders, music. drumming, singing and traditional male dancing and acrobats. The parade moved through the town like a giant wave of life. On the way home the bus broke down as a rock jammed the wheel and no matter how much our driver jabbed it with a stick it wasn’t moving, so we walked and walked back to MEF. When we got back, we did the elephant beds and played lots of Sri Lankan games, including eating a sweet off a leaf on the floor and all of us playing tug of war with an elephant named Pooja, which was great fun. Obviously, Pooja won. but it didn’t stop us trying.
