Sunday 1 August 2010

Mini Perahera

A Perahera is a parade with dancers, whip crackers, elephants, amazing costumes, noise, smoke and more.  There's a huge one in Kandy in August - I have half a mind to go.  I'd like to see the spectacle but the prospect of so many people, so much noise, so many touts, exorbitant prices ... well, it's a bit daunting for someone who likes calm and quiet!

On my way home yesterday I encountered a mini-sized perahera.  I was on the bus approaching Tangalle when it suddenly took a detour down a side road.  Fearing that it was going the back way to Beliatta before coming back to Tangalle, I lunged out of my seat, pushed past a few bodies and jumped out of the door.  Yep, the bus was still moving, but only slowly! I found myself in a predominantly Muslim area, in amongst a lot of smiley children.  They told me that a little perahera was due and, sure enough, down the road it came a few minutes later. It was getting dark and, given the limitations of my little camera and its user, these aren't the best of photos but perhaps they'll give you an impression of the event.


20 comments:

  1. Hi Clive

    We come and go to sri lanka a lot ( my husband was born in colombo0 and we run schoolhouse volunteering sending mainly english teaching volunteers to sri lanka and tamil nadu. In fact, my daughter almost volunteered with adopt sri lanka back in 2007 but actually ended up going straight to university here in scotland .

    We have seen mini perhareras and the last night of the kandy big one. the local, low country ones are always more real, more raw, more charming. As a spectacle, kandy is great but to be honest, we felt the local ones are best!

    hope you're enjoying your volunteering time in sri lanka. I came across your blog by accident - i'm often surfing sri lank when i'm not there!

    best wishes
    Cathy

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  2. by the way - forgot to say - lovely pictures...

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  3. Thanks for dropping by and commenting, Cathy. Good to hear from you! Thanks for telling me about the Kandy perahera - perhaps I'll give it a miss. After all, there are lots of small ones around here to experience!

    Glad you like the photos - I have more from an earlier event which I'll pop on the blog sometime soon.

    I see you're in Ballater - a nice part of the world too!
    Cheers,
    Clive

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  4. Thanks for the glimpse into SriLanka - gorgeous photos. The costumes are simply amazing. We will show our young students who are studying cultures around the world.

    their blog http://juniorsblackburn.edublogs.org/

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  5. Hi Celia, yes, some of the costumes were pretty spectacular, weren't they?! The colours of the girls' dresses were so intense! If your children would like photos of any particular aspects of life here or have any questions then please just ask - I'll see what I can do.

    I took a look at your Juniors blog and tried to comment but the script seems broken as it wouldn't allow typing in the captcha box, despite reloading.

    Great to hear from you!

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  6. Thanks for that info on the blog Clive, if you get a chance, could you try again as I just gave it a go and it seemed to work. I would love to get them to ask you some questions

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  7. Clive.
    Im a teacher from Hamilton, New Zealand. I love blogging and working online because it allows students to network with others around the world and opens them up as world citizens. I have been online to many, many sites in the past three years but seeing your site, such wonderful pictures and experiences really took my breath away! Loved it and I will share it with our students they will absolutely love it!
    Wonderful learning tool.
    Myles Webb, Room 8, Melville Intermediate School, Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand.

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  8. Hi Myles,
    Thanks for the great compliment! It's comments like yours that make blogging worthwhile! I hope it's of interest to your students. As I mentioned above for Celia, if your students would like photos of any particular aspects of life here or have any questions then please just ask - I'll see what I can do. (Email link at the top of page.)

    I see your class has a blog and there are some great student videos up there. Any readers here might like to take a look and post a comment:
    http://melvilleroom8.blogspot.com/

    Cheers!

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  9. Hi I think your blog is fantastic.Annalize, Melville Intermediate School, Hamilton, New Zealand

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  10. Hi,
    Cullen here from Melville Intermediate, Hamilton, NZ.
    Your blog is amazing. The elephants look awesome!

    Bye

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  11. hi i think this blog is awsome and your slid show's are cool.

    bjork
    hamillton
    newzealand

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  12. Hi Annalize, Cullen and Bjork, I'm very glad you like my little blog - your words encourage me to put even more pictures into my stories!
    Thank you very much for dropping by and commenting!
    Best wishes,
    Clive

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  13. Hey there,
    Sri Lanka sounds like a very fun place.
    This is a really cool blog.

    Kelly
    room8 melville intermediate
    hamilton New Zealnad

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  14. Hi, I'm a student from Melville Intermediate in New Zealand. My teacher and three of my classmates have already left comments on this blog. I really love the slide. The first picture is blurry but it makes the colours stand out.
    Lana
    Hamilton
    New Zealand

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  15. Hi my name is Tyler im from Hamilton Melville Intermeidate Hamilton New Zealand well done on the pictures they were Awesome.

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  16. Hi, Your Slide Show is Mean As. That parade would of been noisy the Elephants were "Stylin".

    Melvilleroom8.blogspot.com is my class's Blog

    Chase Hamilton New Zealand

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  17. Hello Clive
    I am also a teacher in New Zealand and your photos of the mini perahera are going to help my Year 2 and 3 class with their current topic which is 'Children of Asia and the Pacific'. Photos help with their understanding of the lives of others.
    Thank you for your interesting posts.

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  18. Hi Kelly, Lana, Tyler and Chase,
    Wow! Thanks for your comments! I'm glad you like the photos. That one with the blurry colours was a mistake, but I love the colours and you can just about make out the bicycles. I like mistakes which turn out well!!
    Thanks for dropping by,
    Best wishes, Clive

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  19. Hi Judy and Class B4,
    Great to hear from you! I'm glad that my little photos will be of value in your classroom. I hope the children like them and are able to learn from them. The costumes of the children and the elephants were pretty amazing!

    Best wishes from Sri Lanka,
    Clive

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  20. Dear Clive
    This morning we looked at your photos in class time.
    We looked closely and we counted three different elephants, we saw four big models, some decorated bikes that give us some ideas for our bikes on Pets Day, colourful costumes, fairies, some little white horses, some policemen and women. We saw a loudspeaker and drums and cymbals to make noise with.
    Thank you for your photos.
    from B4

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