Buddha Jayanti also known as Buddha Purnima in Nepal is a festival that celebrates the birth of Gautam Buddha. The festival is celebrated on the Baisakh Purnima, the full moon day of Baisakh, the first month of Nepali calendar. The celebration day differs from year to year generally occurring in May or April or sometimes in June in the leap year. The day is special not only because it is the day Buddha was born, but also because it was the when Buddha received Enlightenment and Nirvana. Thus, this single day is blessed with the three important phases of Buddha’s life.

Birth and Life of Gautam Buddha

The birth of Gautam Buddha took place as Siddhartha Gautam in the Kapilvastu district. He was the son of king Suddhodhana and Queen Mayadevi. According to the legends, on the day Mayadevi dreamt of a white elephant with six tusks entering her right side, and Siddhartha was born in the tenth month. When Mayadevi left for her father’s home to give birth to her baby, Siddhartha Gautam was born on the way, at Lumbini, in a garden under a Sal tree. It is believed that, immediately after his birth, he took seven steps and announced, “This is my last rebirth.”

As a prince, Siddhartha Gautam got everything he needs inside the palace. One day, while roaming around the city, he saw diseased, old and dead people. Unaware of these aspects of life he then realized that the life is full of sufferings. He then left all his royal pleasures and begun his journey to find the causes of the sufferings and how to end them. With the aim to find the end of the sufferings, one night at the age of 29 he escaped from the palace and started living his life as a monk. He started meditation under a Bodhi tree and ultimately found that the causes of these sufferings are nothing other than human desires and greed. Once you can leave these things, sufferings will end simultaneously and will result in peace. He received Enlightenment (Buddhatto) and spread his findings in the world giving birth to Buddhism.

Buddha Jayanti Celebration

Since the followers of Buddhism are spread all over the world, the Buddha Purnima is celebrated not only in Nepal but also in other parts of the world. The devotees offer prayer to Lord Buddha and listen to the scriptures recited by the monks in the monasteries. They offer flower, fruits, and candles to Buddha. They take a bath early morning and dress in the white clothes and then give alms to the monks in the monasteries. On this auspicious day, the devotees decide to adopt the five teachings of Gautam Buddha which are:

-Not to harm anyone’s life

-Not to steal the things that are not yours

-Not to do any sexual misconduct

-Not to lie. Speak the truth

-Not to eat or drink anything that intoxicates the brain

Buddha Jayanti in Nepal

Buddha Jayanti festival is observed with huge enthusiasm in Nepal. There are many events and ceremonies held around the Buddhist shrines and the stupas in a different part of the country. Grand celebrations occur in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Syambhunath stupa on the west of Kathmandu, Boudhanath stupa and many other Buddha stupas.

The devotees perform special Puja and various programs to highlight the philosophy and teachings of Gautam Buddha. The paintings and images of Buddha are displayed in public. In Aanandakuti Bihar, Swayambhu, a relic from the body of Buddha is brought out to pay homage to the devotees. As dawn arrives, the stupas, Bihar and even the houses are decorated with the various colored lights and lamps.

Ceremony in Lumbini

Lumbini, being the birthplace of Gautam Buddha is very special. In Lumbini, during Buddha Jayanti, people organize different programs and processions. The Maya Devi temple is decorated with the lights which provide a fascinating view of the temple.

One of the functions includes placing the statue of Lord Buddha on a chariot and taking it to the procession. The musicians take part in the procession, and the women sing the songs. The Buddha followers join the procession by uttering the prayers and slogans. The procession with such a huge mass and beliefs end at the monastery. Here, the monk delivers a speech discussing how Buddhism is important in the lives of everyone.

Lumbini organizes other ceremonies apart from the prayers, procession, and speech. Various programs were held on the occasion of the Buddha Jayanti festival like essay writing competition and oratory competition in the former days. The prize distribution for these programs is done on the day of Buddha Jayanti. Some underprivileged students of the society also received a scholarship award for their study. Moreover, free medical camps are organized around the Lumbini area. Along with the celebrations, an event named ‘The great Buddha Jayanti fair’ also occurs in the day. Followers from different parts of the world participate in the event.

Celebration in Kathmandu

The Buddha Purnima celebration is a great event in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. The Swayambhunath Stupa, one of the World Heritage Site, receives a flooding number of devotees during the day of Buddha Jayanti from different parts. The devotees come to the stupa early in the morning in Baisakh Purnima to worship, pray and walk around the heritage. The whole day is very busy around the stupa as the devotees offer lights, butter lamps, rice, coins, flowers and prayers all day long. The religious paintings of Lord Buddha are also put on display.

The celebration of Buddha Purnima in Bouddhanath stupa, another world heritage site is equally enchanting. A procession starts from the Boudhanath, with an elephant having an image of Buddha on the head and ends to another stupa at Chabahil, Kathmandu. In the surface of the stupa, large petals of the lotus are painted by using the yellow saffron.

Buddha Jayanti in other parts of the world

Buddha Jayanti is a major festival not only for the Buddhist in Nepal but also for all the followers of Buddhism all around the world. The day is celebrated as a remembrance for Gautam Buddha and is the contribution to humanity. In Delhi, the mortal remains of Buddha are taken in the National Museum so that the public can see them.

In Sri Lanka, the devotees observe religious events and decorate their houses and streets with lights and candles. The people perform Dansalas which is offering free food and drinks to other people. The devotees decorate the temples in the country and participate in the songs with their offspring.

In Myanmar, people observe the Buddha Jayanti by watering the Bodhi tree and participating in music and dances.

In Taiwan, the people celebrate Buddha Jayanti as a national anniversary. They offer fragrant water on Buddha’s stupas that indicates a new and fresh start in their life.

Thus, people who follow the teachings of Buddha celebrate Buddha Jayanti with great devotion all around the world. May Buddha Jayanti lead us towards the right path and bring peace in the life of all.