When is Buddha Purnima and what is its significance, know
When is Buddha Purnima 2024: Buddha Purnima is celebrated every year in India and other countries. Read this article to know about the date, history and significance of the festival.
When is Buddha Purnima 2024: Buddha Purnima (also known as Buddha Jayanti) is the celebration of the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. On the basis of Buddhist tradition and archaeological discoveries, it is said that Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini, Nepal between 563 and 483 BC. His mother, Queen Maya Devi, gave birth to him while on a visit to her ancestral home, while his father was King Shuddhodhana. The Mayadevi Temple, its surrounding gardens and the Ashoka Pillar of 249 BC mark the birthplace of Buddha at Lumbini.
Many Southeast Asian countries including Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia and Indonesia, as well as India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet celebrate this day with great joy and happiness.
When is Buddha Purnima in 2024?
Buddha’s birthday is primarily celebrated in the Vaishakha month of the Buddhist and Hindu calendars and the Vikram Samvat calendar, which is determined by the lunisolar calendar of Asia. It is celebrated on the full moon day of Vaishakha month of Buddhist calendar in historical places of Buddha’s life, in modern India and Nepal. This date varies each year in the Western Gregorian calendar, but usually falls in April or May. This year the 2586th birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha is falling on May 23, 2024.
Buddha Purnima 2024 date
May 23, 2024
Buddha Purnima 2024 Day
Thursday
full moon date starts
May 22, 2024, at 18:47
full moon date ends
May 23, 2024, at 19:22
Why is Buddha Purnima celebrated?
Buddha Purnima, also known as Vesak or Buddha Jayanti, commemorates the birth, attainment of enlightenment, and death (or parinirvana) of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. This day holds special significance for Buddhists around the world as a day of reflection, meditation and acts of kindness.
It celebrates the life and teachings of the Buddha, and emphasizes the principles of compassion, nonviolence and mindfulness. On this day followers perform rituals like praying and practicing generosity. Buddha Purnima reminds of the eternal wisdom and knowledge imparted by Buddha and inspires devotees to strive for inner peace and spiritual awakening.
Is Buddha Purnima a national holiday?
No, Buddha Purnima is not a national holiday. It is a gazetted holiday in India, so government offices, post offices and banking institutions will remain closed. This holiday is majorly celebrated in Sikkim, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bodhgaya, Spiti district, Kinnaur and various parts of North Bengal including Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Kurseong. Additionally, it is also celebrated in Maharashtra, where 77% of India’s Buddhist population lives.
On this day, Buddhists gather in monasteries and recite a long Buddhist sutra, which is like a religious ceremony. Buddhist devotees visit Buddha temples, offer prayers, burn candles and incense sticks and offer fruits and sweets to the statue of the god.
People usually wear white clothes, do not eat non-vegetarian food and distribute kheer, because according to Buddhist legends, on this day a woman named Sujata offered a bowl of porridge filled with milk to the Buddha. Many followers also release caged birds on this day, symbolizing empathy and compassion towards all living beings, one of the most important teachings of Lord Buddha.
It is said that Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment in Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site in India. Every year a big fair is organized there. Furthermore, the relics of Buddha are taken for public display in procession.
