Buddha Purnima 2024: Commemorating Birth, Enlightenment, Death Of Gautama Buddha

Buddha Purnima, also known as Vesak or Buddha Day, marks the birth of Prince Siddharta Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha; and founded Buddhism.  The festival marks the birth, enlightenment and death ,of Gautama Buddha and is celebrated by the Buddhist community across the country as well as in countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia etc. The festival holds special importance and is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm.

The date of the festival typically falls in the month of April or May. This is because the exact date is based on the Asian lunisolar calendars. If it is a leap year, the festival falls in the month of June.

What is Buddha Purnima?

Buddha Purnima is a significant festival in the Buddhist tradition, observed across South, Southeast, and East Asia. It commemorates the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as Gautama Buddha and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition and archaeological findings, Gautama Buddha was born around 563-483 BCE in Lumbini, Nepal. His mother, Queen Maya Devi gave birth to him during a journey to her ancestral home, while his father was King Śuddhodana. The Mayadevi Temple, along with its surrounding gardens and an Ashoka Pillar dating back to 249 BCE, marks the site of Buddha's birth in Lumbini.

The exact year of Buddha's birthday is based on the Sri Lankan convention, while several Asian lunisolar calendars ascribe to different lunar days. The date for the celebration of Buddha's birthday therefore varies from year to year in the Western Gregorian calendar, but it is usually celebrated in either April or May. During leap years, the birthday may be celebrated in June.

Grand procession held in Bodh Gaya on the occasion of Buddha Purnima

Grand procession held in Bodh Gaya on the occasion of Buddha PurnimaGaya. On the auspicious occasion of the 2,568th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, a grand procession was held in the land of knowledge Bodh Gaya in the Gaya district of the state of Bihar today’s morning. The thousands of devotees from different states and countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet, Myanmar, Vietnam and Bhutan were gathered for the grand event in Bodh Gaya. The attraction point of the procession was the  devotees were carrying the Panchsheel flag along with chanting the slogan of 'Buddham Sharanam Gachchami'. Along with the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, the devotees were also observing Trividh Jayanti. This day is significant as it marks three important events: Lord Buddha's birth, his enlightenment, and his Mahaparinirvana, all of these are believed to have occurred on Vaishakh Purnima.

A large crowd assembled on both sides of the roads to witness the grand procession, which traveled various points before concluding at the Mahabodhi Temple, a World Heritage Site. The journey commenced near the impressive 80-feet-tall statue of Lord Buddha.

Devotees take dip in Ganga at ‘Har ki Paudi’ on Buddha Purnima

Thousands of devotees gathered in Haridwar to take a holy dip and offer prayers on the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima. The city witnessed a massive influx of worshippers at various Ganga ghats, including the Har ki Pauri.

In a post on X, Uttarakhand Police said, "Today, on the occasion of Buddha Purnima bathing festival, a huge crowd of devotees gathered at all the Ganga ghats including Haridwar Har ki Pauri. Our whole effort is to ensure that people bathe comfortably and in an orderly manner and then proceed to their destinations." Karan Singh Nagnyal, IG, Garhwal Range, reviewed the arrangements at Har ki Pauri ghat on Wednesday in anticipation of the large number of devotees expected to bathe on Buddha Purnima.

Also Read: Buddha Purnima 2023: Know All About the Upcoming Buddha Purnima Night