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The musical culture of Sri Lanka

Sri Lankans have a unique native musical culture, best exemplified by the hilly city of Kandy. Traditional Sri Lankan music and dance honor the country’s folklore by fusing elements of Indian and indigenous cultures. The Cultural Show of Kandy is frequently a boisterous show that includes dancing, drumming, flute playing, and singing; however, audience participation is not encouraged. Kandy is home to numerous locations where you can see real Kandyan dancing performances, where musicians appear on-site at random.

The majority of traditional and cultural events in Sri Lanka take place in the city of Kandy, which is regarded as the country’s cultural center. In addition, Kandy is home to a plethora of fascinating tourist destinations with significant historical, cultural, and ecological significance. As a result, most Sri Lankan tour itineraries include a stop in Kandy. When visiting Kandy, tourists typically spend two days in the city to take in all that the area has to offer. If you haven’t reserved a sightseeing trip for Sri Lanka yet, you can do so through a regional travel operator like Seerendipity Tours. These tour companies provide travelers with a variety of intriguing travel options, including day trips and 2-day tours in Sri Lanka that include Kandy.

Arts and Crafts of Kand

The Kandyan Empire is fundamentally based on the arts and crafts. It continues to have a significant impact on Sri Lankans’ daily lives. Sri Lanka’s old cultural history and its arts and crafts are intimately related. In several regions of the island, traditional Sri Lankan crafts such as wood carving, mask and drum making, mat weaving, handlooms, lac work, rush and read items, etc., are important enterprises. Because there are so many souvenir stalls in Kandy, the location of the Cultural Show of Kandy, is regarded as one of the greatest destinations in Sri Lanka to purchase traditional crafts. In Kandy, a great number of households are actively involved in traditional artisan production. Certain families are professional in traditional dancing, while others are skilled in music, and fraction of others work on making crafts like masks, jewelry, and souvenirs as well.

What is the Cultural Show of Kandy?

Every evening in the city of Kandy, there is a live cultural display called the Kandyan cultural show, which features traditional dance and musical acts. One of the main draws of Kandy, which draws lots of tourists every day, is the Kandy cultural display. The Kandyan cultural show is an internal presentation held in several locations around the temple housing the tooth relic.

On stage, well-groomed young dancers like Melika, whose head remains motionless like that of a sprinter due to her flower-adorned hairstyle and peacock-colored clothing, form a public bond with other dancers and musicians. The musicians alone are responsible for creating the enchantment; there are no vocals in the performance. These snake charmers create the perfect beat for each dance and prompt participants to move their hands, heads, and legs, occasionally causing the dances to swirl in the air.
The performance is so intense that it is difficult to distinguish between ecstasy and suffering due to the delicate hands, captivating agility of the feet, overdone facial emotions, and quick pace changes. Although the Kandyan cultural show may be expensive, but guarantee is assured by competent performers.

What three venues have most significance for Kandyan cultural performances?

  • Kandyan cultural show is performed by Red Crossed
  • Lake Club performs a Kandyan cultural show.
  • cultural show is performed by YMBA

Kandy (the top 14 attractions) is the most holy and popular city in the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. The Sinhalas’s culture, history, customs, and traditions are uniquely and fascinatingly blended in Kandy. Kandy has a lot of locations with historical and cultural significance. The Buddha’s left eye teeth, considered the most precious item among Sri Lankan Buddhists, is kept at Kandy. It is thought that the Buddha’s left eye tooth is resting in the Kandy tooth relic temple.


The Esala celebration, which originated around the tooth relic, is without a doubt the most significant and vibrant cultural event in Kandy. However, it only occurs once a year throughout the months of July and August. if you are planning a vacation of Sri Lanka in August, when is the stunning pageant held


A comparable event is the Kandyan cultural exhibition, however, it lacks the grandiose scope of the Esala ceremony. those who are unable to attend the Kandyan Esala event, the best way to get experience of traditional music and dance by Kandyan cultural show.


There are many similarities between the music and dances performed at the Esala ceremony and the Kandyan cultural show. thus, the Kandyan cultural spectacle lasts only one hour, in comparison to the Esala ceremony, which lasts several hours at night.


The Kandy cultural event is held in a number of locations (auditoriums). Every location is easily accessible from Kandy City. A sizable crowd assembled to see the cultural performance, and a significant number of foreigners are visited from abroad during this period. The tooth relic temple is only a short stroll from all of these locations.

What fractions make up a typical Kandyan cultural performance?

The Kandyan cultural performance is divided into the following sections:. Every segment showcases a distinct performance showcasing a range of musical selections executed by either male or female, or both dancers as well.

  • Magul Bera, (the ceremonial drum) is played by Kandyan dancers to mark to the Kandyan cultural performance
  • Pantheru Natuma
  • Gini Sisila
  • Ves Natuma
  • Puja Netuma
  • Raban
  • Mayura Natuma

The proceedings of Cultural Show of Kandy

The Kandyan cultural performance begins with the Magul Bera (Ceremonial Drum).

The drums are an essential component of the ceremony, and the blowing of the conch shell marks the customary opening of any event. Ritual music is played in order to call upon the blessings of deities, and followers of Sinhala traditional customs as well

Puja Netuma

Beautifully attired females are offering something to God by holding oil lamps. Several dancers usually perform Puja Natuma, moving their hands and feet rhythmically to the music.

Raban

A common kind of drum in traditional folk dancing is the Raban. This particular drum is called an Ath Rabana, or hand Rabana, and it has a diameter of roughly one foot. men and women are both performed and excelled in different ways of dancing. Raban’s playing is the key in singing and music.

Mayura Netuma

A group of females performs a Mayura Natuma, or peacock dance, the elegant movements are shown by the peacock. The carrier of god Kataragama, is the peacock.

Pantheru Natuma

The panther, a musical instrument used in the dance, bears some resemblance to the tambourine, since inseption Pantheru is linked with drums. The dancers are displayed portray for Sinhala warriors on the battle. Being a successful pantheru dancer requires a lot of hard work and dedication as well. Only expert dancers can do the Panthers flawlessly.

Gini Sisila

The fire dance style is exclusive to the southern region of Sri Lanka.

Ves Natuma

One of the most well-liked dances on the island, both in the upcountry and the low country. not like to low-country dancing, this is a significant kind of Kandyan dancing, and Ves natuma is the traditional outfit used by Kandyan dancers. There are sixty-four ornaments on Ves Natuma’s garment. A person must complete numberr of years of intense training to be eligible to do the traditional dancing outfit.

How can I book a seat in the Cultural Show of Kandy

If you stay in a hotel in Kandy, you can book a seat in the show at the reception. Tourists can also witness Kandy’s cultural show by booking seats with local tour operators such as Seerendipity Tours.



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