Dozens of elephants were dressed in extravagant costumes and paraded through Colombo, Sri Lanka, during the Navam Full Moon Poya celebrations on February 7.

Groups of performers joined the elaborately dressed elephants as they marched through the city streets.

Navam Full Moon Poya is a Buddhist festival that is usually celebrated on the first full moon of February.

The full moon marks two significant events for Buddhists, one being the appointment of Sariputta and Moggallana as the first two chief disciples of Gautama Buddha. The other is the first-ever Buddhist Council, held three months after the death of the Buddha.

The Navam Full Moon Poya Day, a traditional Buddhist festival in the country was celebrated in February every year at Colombo's famous Buddhist temple Gangarama Temple. The Perehera takes place for two days. This year the festivity happened on the 5th and 6th Feb. The main portion of the festival is the parade of the Sacred Relic Casket on the elaborately adorned main tusker (elephant) of the parade.

The festival is used to showcase many talents in traditional Kandyan arts. In addition, the perahera induces harmony amongst the communities as people, regardless of race or religion, flock to see the festivities. Mask Dancers, Kandyan Dancers, Drummers, Sword Dancers, Stilt Walkers, and many other artisans form the Gangarama Nawam Perahera parades. The events took place at night lit by flaming torches. They are also accompanied by hundreds of monks, Buddhist flag bearers, and traditionally adorned elephants with their mahouts.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa enshrined the casket with the Sacred Relic on the ceremonial tusker on the first day of the perahera and the final day’s rituals were performed with the participation of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawadena, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa..