Caleb Falcon
From the mainstream presence of churches to a considerable existence of temples, Negombo will give you a reason to celebrate no matter what time of the year you visit there.
Negombo is home to a large number of churches. If you travel to Sri Lanka in January, do not give this fiesta a miss. It is a colourful procession held in Sea Street. Almost the whole population will be gathered here to take part.
Sri Lanka celebrates the independence they gained from the British on February 4, 1948 on the same day each year. The whole country takes on a festive mood, and Negombo is no exception. There are many dancing events and parades. Independence day celebrations are quite visible as many hotels such as Club Hotel Dolphin hoist a national flag to celebrate.
Traditionally the New Year Festival was to celebrate the annual harvest in the early agrarian culture. Although that agrarian harvesting system has evolved to suit the modern era, Sri Lankans nevertheless celebrate the New Year Festival every April. Travel to any part of the country on April 13 and 14, you will see a different mood among the locals. The season witnesses a host of outdoor activities.
May is known as Vesak in Buddhist terminology. Any Buddhist country in the world celebrates this month as their teacher, the Buddha, was born in this month and also achieved enlightenment and passed away in the month of May, or Vesak. The streets are adorned by Vesak lanterns and on the Vesak day temples are filled with devotees taking religious vows.
Held in late July, the Fisherman's Festival draws a considerable crowd. The fishermen show their might with their catch. Whoever has a craft, takes part in the festival. You will be able to see attractive catches including prawns, lobsters and crabs.
If you are staying in Negombo, get transport arranged to reach Munnesvaram Kovil, a Hindu temple. In August you can see the temple taking on a festive mood. The most attractive feature is walking on fire.
Most Asian countries have ideal skies to fly skies. The result is that you can take part in kite festivals. The festival in Negombo offers prizes for the best designs of kites. The festival is marked with a large crowd of kite fans. Most kites are made out of old sarees.
If you like to enjoy the full scope of the festival, then reserve nine days and nights at a local hotel. Negombo, as many other towns in Sri Lanka, plays host to this festival which lasts for nine days and nights, as its name indicates, in reverence of the Goddess Durga. The Hindu devotees pray for three nights to the Goddess Durga in tribute to her acts of bravery.
The country is home to a wide range of spices and has been an exporter of spices for centuries. And a spice festival is an easy thing for Sri Lankans. The Spice Festival is an international one where visiting chefs will make dishes from the spices of their own countries. The dishes come from countries such as Australia, Thailand, China, Malaysia, India and Africa.
