Sri Lanka is famous for its holiday is ranked 2nd on the list for the most public holidays, with 25 public holidays observed annually. Among these 25 holidays, there are 11 holidays which are popular among Sri Lankans. For the ones, who enjoy many holidays but don’t really know what each holiday represents, here’s a quick recap:
Christmas
This festival is celebrated all around the world which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a religious and cultural festival observed on the 25th of December. This festival is celebrated by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season.
Deepavali
Diwali also known as Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights, which is celebrated every November. Diwali symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance”. This festival is one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism. During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated to denote the concept of light shining through the darkness.
Easter
Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, is a festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This holiday is famous among many children, due to the concept of chocolate eggs which are unique only to this particular holiday.
Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The date for the start of any lunar Hijri month varies based on when the new moon is sighted by local religious authorities, so the exact day of celebration varies by locality.
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha also called the “Festival of Sacrifice”, is the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command. But, before Abraham could sacrifice his son, God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead. In commemoration of this, an animal is sacrificed and divided into three parts: one part of the share is given to the poor and needy; second part is for the home, third is given to relatives.
Mahasivarathri Day
Maha Shivaratri a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of God Shiva. It is a important festival in Hinduism, this festival is solemn and marks a remembrance of “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, doing Yoga, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as self-restraint, honesty, non-injury to others, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva.
National Day
Sri Lanka’s Independence Day is celebrated on 4th of February to commemorate its internal political independence from British rule on that day in 1948.It is celebrated all over the country through flag-hoisting ceremony, dances, parades and performances. After 1968, the main parade is held in Colombo 3, where there are many diverse acts and, where the President raises the national flag and delivers a nationally televised speech.
Poya Day
There are around a dozen Poya Days every year, in line with the Buddhist lunar calendar and moon-phase marking system. The fact that the moon is largest and brightest when it is full is the reasoning behind full moons being occasions for celebration. Each full moon, and each corresponding Poya Day, has its own name and specific events it is meant to commemorate. These will be events related to Buddha and Buddhism. Some of the key events remembered on Poya Days include: Buddha’s birthday, Buddha’s enlightenment, Buddha’s sending out of 60 disciples as missionaries, etc
Sinhala and Tamil New Year
The New Year’s celebration is all the more festive because it is observed by both Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus. The annual event is marked by religious ceremonies, family activities, traditional foods, colourful decorations and a general feeling of good will toward neighbours and friends. This important national festival, known as Avurudu in Sinhala and Puththandu in Tamil, is not celebrated in any other nation. It is unique to the people of Sri Lanka.
Tamil Thai Pongal Day
Thai Pongal is a harvest festival dedicated to the Sun God. Thai Pongal corresponds to Makara Sankranthi, the harvest festival celebrated throughout India. Thai Pongal is mainly celebrated to convey appreciation to the Sun God for a successful harvest. Part of the celebration is the boiling of the first rice of the season consecrated to the Sun – the Surya Maangalyam.
Vesak Day
Vesak is a holiday traditionally observed by Buddhists and some Hindus on different days in many countries. The festival commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha in the Theravada or southern tradition. This festival is celebrated all over Sri Lanka by lighting lanterns, visiting the temple, handing out free food and setting up pandols.
