Buddhists around the world are celebrating Vesak, which is also known as Buddha DayReuters
Vesak is one of the most important days in the Buddhist calendar. Buddhists across the globe celebrate Vesak every year on the day of the full moon in May. Vesak Day, also known as Buddha's birthday, commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. Buddhist scriptures state that each of these significant events occurred on the full moon of the Indian lunar month of Vesakha.
This year, the festival will be celebrated on 10 May. In Sri Lanka, colourful lanterns are lit to signify the life of the Buddha, while in Taiwan fragrant water is poured over statues of Buddha. Singapore celebrates Vesak day by setting caged birds free.
Every year, thousands of Buddhist monks gather to meditate and circuit the Buddhist temple in a ritual called "Pradaksina". In Indonesia, celebrations were focused on the ancient Borobudur temple. Borobudur, built between the 8th and 9th century, is the world's largest Buddhist temple and a Unesco World Heritage Site. The temple is situated on a remote hilltop in Central Java surrounded by lush jungle and ringed by volcanoes, one of which – Mount Kelud – is still active. In this gallery, IBTimes Singapore has compiled a series of images of the Vesay Day celebrations around the world.
Buddhist monks prostrate as they perform the "three steps one bow" ceremony at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery on the eve of Vesak Day in Singapore May 9, 2017.Reuters
A devotee prays in front of a Buddha statue during the birth anniversary of Buddha, also known as Vesak Day in Colombo, Sri Lanka May 10, 2017.Reuters
A devotee (unseen) sprinkles rice grains as part of the rituals on the idol of Buddha during the birth anniversary of Buddha, also known as Vesak Day, at Swayambhu in Kathmandu, Nepal, May 10, 2017.Reuters
A devotee offers butter lamps during the birth anniversary of Buddha, also known as Vesak Day, at Swayambhu in Kathmandu, Nepal, May 10, 2017.Reuters
Buddhists decorate a Child Buddha statue while celebrating the Vesak Day in Quan Su Pagoda, Hanoi, Vietnam May 9, 2017.Reuters
A woman carries a tray filled with butter lamps in Kathmandu, NepalReuters
People pray and light candles at the Marble Temple or Wat Benchamabophit during celebrations of Vesak in Bangkok, ThailandReuters
A man places a container holding what is believed to be the relics of Buddha in front of a Child Buddha statue while celebrating the Vesak Day in Quan Su Pagoda, Hanoi, Vietnam May 9, 2017.Reuters
Buddhist monks collect alms ahead of Vesak Day in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.Reuters
Buddhists pray at the Suthat temple during Vesak Day, an annual celebration of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, in central Bangkok, Thailand.Reuters
Buddhists release sky lanterns at Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, during celebrations for Vesak DayReuters
