The preparations made prior to the commencement of the processions within the premises such as the dressing of the elephants, dressing of the Diyawadana Nilame and the Basnayaka Nilames and other important officers participating in the processions, arrangement of the different groups of musicians, dancers, singers, flag and firebrand bearers, placing of the casket on the back of the elephant, etc. are in themselves interesting points of observation to the curious travlar thirsty for a sip of "culture".

The event commences with the firing of canon balls - the first to announce the commencement of the four devale peraheras, the second at the time of placing the casket on the elephant's back and the third to announce the commencement of the Dalada perahera and the last, to announce the completion of the perahera.

First come the whip lashers and the fireball acrobats, the main purpose of these two groups being to clear the route of any obstacles from the path of the procession. Next, the Buddhist flag bearers approach, signifying the religious nature of the procession, who are followed by bearers of flags of the districts.

The first elephant walking in front is ridden by the officer called `Peramune Rala' (Front Officer). In ancient times, he carried the record of the king's permission to hold the procession. Today he carries the palm-leaf manuscript called `Lekam-mitiya' (Records of lands of the Tooth Relic Temple and the names of servicemen of the temple).

He is followed by groups of Kandyan dancers and drummers. On the back of the second elephant rides the Gajanayaka Nilame (Chieftain in charge of elephants) and the third elephant is ridden by the officer known as Kariya Korala (Officer next in command to the Diyawadana Nilame). In between these elephants are intermingling groups of musicians, dancers, and others carrying flags and banners.

The most significant section of the procession, is the caparisoned Tusker carrying the casket walking majestically, flanked by two elephants with riders holding the Canopy over the casket fanned and sprinkled with flowers.

The tusker usually walks in a long white cloth spread on its path. A group of singers (Kavikara Maduva) proceed ahead singing the praise of the Tooth Relic. The Diyawadana Nilame (Lay Custodian of the Tooth

Relic) walks behind in the company of his assistant officers. The most skilled dancers and drummers participate in this section.

The traditional symbolic weaponry are carried here on either side.

Thus ends the Dalada section of the pageant."

Next come the four devala processions. The perahera of the last day is terminated not in the Tooth Relic Temple, but at the Adahanamaluva Gedige Vihara of the Asgiriya monastery.

The significance of this is that originally, the Tooth Relic was housed in this Vihare temporarily before the Relic was housed in the shrine within the royal complex.

In the early morning after the final Randoli perahera, the four devale priests go in procession to the ancient ford at Gatambe at Peradeniya and perform the ritual known as `Diya-Kapilla'. (Water-cutting ceremony), where each of the lay priests (Kapurala) proceed to the middle of the river Mahavali at this point, and after cutting the water surface with a sword, immediately fills the brass pot.

These pots are carried back to the shrines, after being blessed on the way at the Katukale Pulleiyyar (Ganesh) Kovil, and the water pots are preserved in the gods' chambers until the next annual procession."

Thus, ends the Kandy perahera, to be enacted again in July or August next year, in the year after that and the year after that - complex, vibrant, as colourful as the strands of Asela the yellow lantern like flowers hanging from the trees seen all over the Kandy town, honouring a tradition which seemingly will never end.