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Buddha Jayanti, which falls on the full moon night in the month of Vaisakha, (either in April or May), commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. Not withstanding the summer heat (the temperature routinely touches 45 degrees C), pilgrims come from all over the world to Bodh Gaya to attend the 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 and symposia. The Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look and is decorated with colourful flags and flowers.
Other important occasions are the birth anniversary of Anagrika Dharmapala, 17th September, the birth and death anniversaries of Babasaheb Ambedkar, 14th April and 6th December, and Hiroshima Day on 6th August.
The Kalachakra ceremony is held for about ten days each year and presided over by his Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal head of Tibetan Buddhists. It is believed that if one attends this ceremony at least once in a lifetime one will attain salvation. Since 1994 the American branch of the Tibetan Nyingmapa sect holds a peace ceremony with a view to promoting peace and good will among mankind. |
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