In India, Vesak or Buddha Purnima is mainly celebrated in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, J&K, and Bihar (Bodhgaya). In this image, traditional dancers performed at Bodhgaya on occasion of the Vesak Day celebration B.E 2555.

Buddha Jayanti or Vesak is annually celebrated for about a week in Sri Lanka. During this week, no alcohol or non veg is bought, sold or eaten. Temporary structures known as Toranas are built all over the country for illustrating 550 past life stories of Buddha.

Vesak Day in Borobudur (Indonesia). Borobudur is a Buddhist stupa and temple complex, located in Central Java, Indonesia. It’s a large, ancient monument and the largest Buddhist structure on earth. It is a central meeting point for thousands of Indonesian Buddhists on occasion of the Vesak Day.

Buddhist followers offer lotus candle and incense at Maha Vihara pagoda in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Buddha’s Birthday festival is known as Hanamatsuri (the Flower Festival) in Japan.  It often coincides with the time the cherry and other spring flowers bloom everywhere. On this day, Buddhists offer sweet tea from the juices of Hydrangea flowers for bathing the statue of the baby Buddha.

Buddha’s relic tower in Sanam Luang, Bangkok, Thailand

In Thailand, Vesak Day is a national holiday with schools, banks, embassies and government offices all closed.

Vesak Day in Laos is called a Vixakha Bouxa festival. One part of the Vixakha Bouxa festival is called Boun Bang Fay, or Rocket Festival. As this is during the hottest and driest season of the year, large homemade rockets are launched into the sky in an attempt to convince the celestial beings to send down rain. These rockets are made with 6 to 24kg of gunpowder, and can reach several hundred meters.

Cambodian Buddhists gathered on Bayon War pagoda in Siem Reap to celebrate the Buddha’s Birthday, locally knows as Vesak Bochea.

Source: Giác Ngộ