July

The town is at its busiest during Kataragama Festival, held around the Esala poya day in July or August. The festival is famous for the varying forms of physical mortification with which some pilgrims express their devotion. Some penitents even pierce their cheeks or tongues others hang themselves on hooks by the skins of their backs. To the Buddhist Sinhalese, god Kataragama is the protector of the island. To the Hindu Tamils, he is an incarnation of god Skanda, also known as Murugan or Subramaniam, a son of Shiva and Parvati and brother of Ganesh.

“The Elephant Gathering” in Minneriya National Park. During the dry season from July to October, water becomes scares in the north-central province and wild elephants from all around migrate to Minneriya National Park’s large Minneriya tank, the most important water source around. As many as 100- 200 animals come from as far away as Trincomalee to drink, bathe and feed on the fresh grass that grown up from the lake bed as the water retreats. Local guides know where the greatest concentration of elephants is at any given time, a truly amazing site to see!