Buddha Poornima, which falls on the full moon night in the month
of Vaisakha (either in April or May), commemorates the birth anniversary of
Lord Buddha, founder of Buddhism. Notwithstanding the summer heat (the
temperature routinely touches 45 degrees C), pilgrims come from all over the
world to Bodh Gaya to attend the Buddha Poornima celebrations. The day is
marked with prayer meets, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha, religious
discourses, continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation,
processions, worship of the statue of Buddha. The Mahabodhi Temple wears a
festive look and is decorated with colourful flags and flowers. The Chinese
scholar, Fa-Hien has recorded celebration of this festival.
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It is an important to give a summarized description on the
Buddhist festivals in India, especially in the main places of worship. The
principal annual ceremony for all the Buddhist is the Vaisaka Purnima known in
Sri Lanka as Wesak festival and in India as Buddha Jayanti. Vaisaka Purnima day
is fixed by the full-moon day of the month Vaisaka, which falls in May. Like
all other Buddhist festivals it falls according to the Lunar year. It was of
this day of the year, according to the year.
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He attained Supreme Enlighten or Buddha hood, beneath the
Bodhi-tree at Boddha Gaya. Forty-five years later at the age of eighty, he
finally passed away in Parinivana on the same day of the year at Kushinagar.
Vaisaka Purnima is celebrated especially in Boddha Gaya, Lumbini and in
Kushinara as they are the holy places that were connected with the blessed ones
birth, enlighten and the Parinirvana. Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand,
Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, Japan
and quite a number of western Buddhists participate 'Vaisaka' Purnima Day
religious activities in a festive mood. Sarnath the capital of Buddhism too
celebrates Vaisaka Purnima day in a grand way.
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The great Buddhist festival 'Vaisaka' ,although is an occasion for
rejoicing doesn't encourage hectic gaiety and abandon. The happiness that the
Buddhists feel when they are celebrating it is a tranquil, peaceful joy. The
festival has its gay side as well. In most of the Buddhist countries the
villages, roads, streets, temples and houses are brightly illuminated with
color Lanterns, electric lights and colorful decorations.
