Day Perahera — Friday, 28 August 2026
This is when it sets off — not when you should arrive.
Finishes at Sri Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth) · 4 named streets
Roads close hours before it moves. Every street listed below shuts to traffic and becomes effectively uncrossable long before the scheduled start. Get to the side of the route you intend to stay on, and expect to be there a while.
This procession has already walked.
Each night runs different streets — ask for the night you mean.
Day Perahera · procession route
Friday, 28 August 2026 — this procession has already passed.
2:18 PM is the nekath — the auspicious moment fixed by astrologers for the casket to leave the Temple. That is why it is an odd minute, and why the procession itself takes a while longer to form up and move.
Each night of the Perahera runs a different route. This is the published one for Friday, 28 August 2026 — check the organiser's map for other nights.
Where to stand — when the front reaches each street(estimated)
- Start · Asgiriya Gedige Viharayasets off 2:18 PM
- 1. D.S.Senanayake Veediyafront ~2:45 PM–3:05 PM · 9 min walk from the Temple
- 2. Temple Streetfront ~3:05 PM–3:45 PM · 5 min walk from the Temple
- 3. Deva Veediyafront ~3:15 PM–3:55 PM · 4 min walk from the Temple
- 4. Raja Veediyalatest, thinnestfront ~3:25 PM–4:15 PM · 3 min walk from the Temple
- Finish · the Temple of the Toothtail clear ~4:15 PM–6:00 PM
Getting out afterwardsshow
- The whole route stays within about 850 m of Asgiriya Gedige Viharaya, so the closed area is small — walking 10–15 minutes outward clears it faster than waiting for a vehicle inside it.
- Ride-hailing apps surge afterwards and often cannot reach a pickup pin inside the cordon. Walk out first, then book.
- Agree a tuk-tuk fare before getting in; drivers quote festival prices at the barriers.
- Leaving before the last section passes you means a far easier walk out — the crush is at the end.
- Roads reopen gradually behind the tail, not all at once.
Before you goshow
- It is a religious procession, not a parade — dress modestly, shoulders and knees covered. White is the convention near the Temple.
- Shoes and hats come off inside the Temple precinct.
- No flash photography. The elephants are close, and flash distresses them.
- You will be on the road for hours — take a mat or cushion, water, and a light layer.
- Toilets on the route are scarce. Go before you take your spot.
- Stay seated once it starts so the people behind can see, and never cross the road between elephants.
- Keep bags in front of you in the crush, and agree a meeting point if you are in a group.
- Poya and festival days are dry days — bars and shops do not serve alcohol.
Other processions this season
The streets and the set-off time come from the organiser's published map. The closure and arrival times above are OneCeylon estimates, not official — roads close well before the procession reaches them, start times slip, and police may re-route on the night.
Organiser's map — street views for each roadStreets on the route, in procession order
Sets off from Asgiriya Gedige Viharaya (Adahanamaluwa). Finishes at Sri Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth).
- 1.D.S.Senanayake Veediya460 m in
- 2.Temple Street850 m in
- 3.Deva Veediya960 m in
- 4.Raja Veediya1.13 km in
Common questions
What time does the Day Perahera start?
The Day Perahera is scheduled to set off at 2:18 PM on Friday, 28 August 2026 from Asgiriya Gedige Viharaya (Adahanamaluwa). That is the scheduled departure, not your arrival time — roads on the route close well before the procession moves, and once closed you cannot cross them.
What route does the Day Perahera take?
It sets off from Asgiriya Gedige Viharaya (Adahanamaluwa) and covers 1.33 km, finishing at Sri Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth). The named streets in procession order are: D.S.Senanayake Veediya, Temple Street, Deva Veediya, Raja Veediya.
Which roads close for the Day Perahera?
Every street on the route closes to traffic, and in practice to pedestrians crossing it, hours before the scheduled start: D.S.Senanayake Veediya, Temple Street, Deva Veediya, Raja Veediya. Plan to be on the side of the route you intend to stay on well before then.
Before you go
- •It is a religious procession, not a parade — dress modestly, shoulders and knees covered. White is the convention near the Temple.
- •Shoes and hats come off inside the Temple precinct.
- •No flash photography. The elephants are close, and flash distresses them.
- •You will be on the road for hours — take a mat or cushion, water, and a light layer.
- •Toilets on the route are scarce. Go before you take your spot.
- •Stay seated once it starts so the people behind can see, and never cross the road between elephants.
- •Keep bags in front of you in the crush, and agree a meeting point if you are in a group.
- •Poya and festival days are dry days — bars and shops do not serve alcohol.