Gearing for the Kandy season

Just imagine, one hundred and fifty years ago in the hill capital Kandy, amidst splendid surroundings and alongside the picturesque Kandy Lake, the majestic Queen's Hotel became an architectural reality.

A stone's throw away from the world - renowned sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic of the Buddha - the Dalada Maligawa - the Queen's Hotel is now a much sought after haven for tourists - from home and abroad.

At this time of the year when the Esala Perahera season commences the hotel becomes a hive of activity as tourists and television crews wend their way to the hotel to record and appreciate the unique Kandy pageant never witnessed elsewhere.

The fervour that rises with the burning of joss sticks, the fragrance of flower offerings and the chants of the faithful lures you into the aura of mysticism. The pageant usually proceeds along the hotel's East and West wings, providing the most magnificent viewing facilities for the guests who patronise the hotel.

Henry Cave in his book "Picturesque Ceylon - Kandy and Peradeniya," says "Not a week passes without scores of fresh visitors from every part of the world visiting this historical town. The lovely setting of the city, the most beautiful walks in the tropics, and the magnificent botanical gardens of Peradeniya.

These influxes of visitors have given the Queen's a guest list as colourful as a rainbow." The Kandy Perahera as it is today in all its splendour, goes back in history to the reign of King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe who ruled Kandy in the years 1747-1782. It is said that the Tooth Relic then belonged to the king, was his private property and the people never got an opportunity to worship it.

But with the passage of time and the rumblings of devotees, the King consented that the Relic be taken in procession for the people to worship it and thus began the cultural pageant which has developed into an unbelievable showpiece of attraction with its caparisoned elephants, Kandyan dancers and other folk dancers in their colourful costumes, the fire eaters, whip crackers and the lay custodians of the Relic in their glittering ceremonial dress.

The viewing gallery for the Perahera from the Queen's Hotel gets booked in advance and this hotel with its 108 rooms and its old world charm laced with modern creativity is the ideal choice for guests at this time of the year.

The large colourful lobby with a friendly ambience greets you as you step inside after a somewhat tired journey.

A visit to the Queen of Hearts Restaurant offers exclusive lunches and dinners both in Sri Lankan and Western Cuisine.

In terms of recreation the hotel offers indoor activities and live music for you to chill out in the evenings.

The travel counter arranges package tours to enjoy the scenic beauty of the interior of Kandy with its mist laden mountains and verdant open spaces and foliage.

According to the Assistant Food & Beverages Manager Sujeewa Perera the Perahera commences on August 19 and the final spectacular procession is on August 28, for which reservations have flowed in fast.

M.P.