The highly anticipated Sri Pada pilgrimage season officially began today, December 13, with a grand procession bringing the Saman Deva statue and the eternal relic casket to the Sri Pada shrine. The journey commenced this morning from the Sri Pada Rajamaha Viharaya in Galpotthawela, Pelmadulla.
Devotees, accompanied by prayers and chanting, embarked on the procession towards the sacred mountain.
The statue of Lord Saman, placed in a specially decorated chariot, was carried from the Sannasgama area in Pelmadulla. The procession marks the commencement of the religious season, which attracts thousands of pilgrims every year.
Religious rituals leading up to the pilgrimage season began yesterday, December 12, in the afternoon at the Sri Pada Rajamaha Viharaya. These traditional ceremonies, held annually before the start of the pilgrimage, signify the sanctity and significance of the Sri Pada pilgrimage.
The Sri Pada season traditionally begins on Unduwap Poya day and concludes on the Vesak full moon Poya day. This year, the journey to the sacred Sri Pada site is expected to usher in another year of devotion and pilgrimage for the 2024-2025 season, starting officially on Unduwap Poya day, December 14.
