Buddha Purnima being celebrated

Buddha Purnima is being celebrated on Friday. It not only marks the day when Gautam Buddha was born but also the day when he attained Nirvana under the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya.  Lord Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama on the full moon day in 563 BC at Lumbini in Nepal. In Hinduism, Buddha is considered as the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu. His birth anniversary is also known as Vaisakhi Buddha Purnima or Vesak. This day is commemorated by Buddhists and Hindus all over the world and is a major festival in countries like India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

President Droupadi Murmu has greeted and conveyed her wishes to the citizens and followers of Lord Buddha all over the world on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. In her message, the President said that Lord Buddha, the epitome of compassion, has shown us the path of enlightenment, tolerance, and virtue. She said Lord Buddha's simple and effective preaching inspires us to follow the path of love, truth, and non-violence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on the occasion of Buddha Purnima on Friday. Devouts believe that the founder of Buddhism was born on this day. He also received enlightenment and attained 'mahaparnirvana', a religious term for his passing away, on this day. Modi tweeted, "Greetings of Buddha Purnima. May the ideals of Lord Buddha keep showing light and giving strength to us all.

Vesak Day/Buddha Jayanti greetings from Maha Bodhi Society of India to you everyone & your family . pic.twitter.com/gQDRzEFI9l

— Maha Bodhi Society of India (@mbsi1891) May 5, 2023

In Bihar, Buddha Purnima is being celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety. The main function has been organized at Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment under the pious Bodhi tree. Buddhist monks and devotees of different countries including Japan, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia have come to Bodhgaya to celebrate Buddha Purnima. A special prayer was organized under the Bodhi tree this morning in which monks of various countries participated. They prayed for world peace. Shobha yatra was also taken out on this occasion in which a large number of devotees took part. Mahabodhi temple wears a festive look and the areas around temple is decorated with colourful flags and flowers. Monasteries of different  Buddhist countries have also been nicely decorated. Tight security arrangements have been made around the Mahabodhi temple. Strict vigil is being maintained to avert untoward incidents during puja celebrations. 

Sri Lanka is observing Vesak Full Moon Poya Day to commemorate three significant events in the life of Siddhartha Gautama, his birth, enlightenment, and passing away. Sri Lankan Buddhists are especially joyful this year since they were unable to celebrate the festival for the past few years due to the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and the economic crisis last year. Buddhist devotees in Sri Lanka celebrate Vesak by conducting religious ceremonies and organizing various Aamisa and Prathipaththi poojas, including pandals, lanterns, and dansals. Vesak zones have been established in several locations, such as Thotalanga, Kiribathgoda, Kelaniya, Maharagama, Kottawa, and Rajagiriya. The Bauddhaloka and Gangarama Buddha Rashmi Vesak Zones will be held for several days, while the State Vesak Festival will take place in Puttalam District.