Business
Dialog Axiata extends support to Sri Dalada Perahera for 15th consecutive year
In its efforts of preserving and promoting Sri Lanka’s heritage and culture and as a key contributor of the major cultural and religious festivals in the country, Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, once again extended its support to the Kandy Esala Perahera (also known as the Sri Dalada Perahera or the Festival of the Tooth). In the backdrop of the pandemic, this year’s perahera was held from August 13 – 23 under strict COVID-19 health guidelines.
One of the oldest and grandest of religious festivals in Sri Lanka, the Sri Dalada Perahera is held in the month of Esala (July or August) to commemorate the first sermon of Lord Buddha after he attained enlightenment. The Kandy Esala Perahera Festival is a 10-day event, which is celebrated to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic and it’s four guardian dieties, Gods Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Goddess Pattini invoke blessings of the Gods to get timely rains for the cultivation of crops and for the prosperity of the country
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dialog empowered its loyal customers with the facility to watch the festival from the comfort and safety of their homes, by broadcasting it on Dialog Television. Customers were able to watch the full perhera with no additional charges to their existing subscription. Furthermore, Dialog also broadcasted the final Randoli perahera procession with a 360-degree VR LIVE streaming experience, powered by 5G technology, on its official YouTube channel and Facebook page.
As one of the main advocates of Sri Lanka’s rich traditions and heritage, Dialog has been a long-term patron of a multitude of events across the country, contributing to the upliftment of Sri Lanka’s rich cultural history. This year will be the 15th consecutive year Dialog Axiata has extended its support to the historical Kandy Esala Festival and the procession of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Kandy. (Dialog)