Buddha Jayanti is a triple festival celebrating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. The stunning stupas at Swayambhunath and Bodnath in Kathmandu are the main focus of festivities, but celebrations also take place in various ways all over Nepal.
Buddha Jayanti falls on the full moon day in the month of Vaisakha (April-May). In the year 2010, Buddha Jayanti is on 27th May.
In many venues, statues of the Buddha are carried by maroon-clad monks in processions throughout the night. Devotional lights and flickering candles illuminate these awesome parades, as well as the temples where they originate.
Buddha was born in Lumbini in the province of Terai in Nepal, but he soon left the country and travelled to India. His philosophy was first introduced to the country by the Indian emperor Ashok, centuries after his death in 250 BC. Later, Tibetan Buddhism was brought to Nepal by the ancestors of the sherpas coming over the Himalayas from Tibet in the 8th century AD. It has remained strong in the country ever since, finding an easy blend with Hinduism, more a philosophy of life than a galaxy of gods. All Buddhist festivals are full of peaceful charm, but this one has to be one of the best.
Celebrations: Buddhist celebrate the festival with great fervor and enthusiasm. The deity of Buddha is given the Holy Bath. Life and precepts of Gautam Buddha are discussed. Pilgrims from all over the world come to Bodh Gaya and participate in the celebrations. Prayer meets and discourses are held with group meditation and processions.
