Buddha Jayanti, also known as Buddha Purnima, is an extremely auspicious day that falls on 'Purnima' or a full moon day. This year, it falls on May 16th, 2022.

Living in the materialized world and everyone, being consumed by the thought of lust, money, and selfishness, there might be several times that you wish to abandon everything and just be alone to delve into the meaning of life. The same happened with Siddartha Gautam, which led him to become a great personality, teacher, guide, and philosopher. His deeds are still everywhere and many people have become devotees of him. This year, on May 16th, let’s celebrate Buddha Jayanti with our visit to monuments, stupas, and holy Buddhist sites.

Why do we celebrate Buddha Purnima/Buddha Jayanti?

Buddha Jayanti marks the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha. His contribution to mankind is considered to be a great achievement. The three main important events to occur on the same day are magical. Every year, on this day, people visit the Buddhist Pilgrimage, organize meditation programs and celebrate in his honor. 

Rituals of the day:

  • On this day, early morning ritualistic prayers are chanted by monks.
  • People light Diyos around Bodhi Tree and water its roots.
  • People listen to the Buddha’s story and sermons of his life.
  • They practice meditation and recite Buddhist scriptures.
  • They conduct donation programs and social welfare in society. 

Places to visit on Buddha Jayanti:

  1. Lumbini:

Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. The place lies in the western Terai of Nepal and is considered to be one of the holiest regions. A little Siddartha was born in the garden of Lumbini and to everybody’s surprise, walked seven steps, which was unbelievably quick. Thus, it would be great to visit there and witness all the luxury and privilege he left behind to be someone who he became. Special prayers and chanting are organized on this very occasion of Buddha Purnima where people from various parts of the world make their visit, worship, and donate.

  1. Swoyambhunath Stupa:

Swoyambhunath Stupa is the most important Buddhist pilgrimage destination which dates back from 460 A.D. and was built by King Manadeva in the 13th century. Not that, only Buddhists are allowed or should be allowed to visit the stupa. Aesthetic beauty is more than incredible with the top being covered by gold and the classical image of Budhha’s eyes and eyebrows painted on it. We can see people from all around the world visiting the beautiful stupa throughout the year, there is a certain kind of peace that gives a sense of relief to our minds and hearts. Most often than not, during the Budhha Purnima, the crowd goes highest to honor the Buddha. This is one of the must-visit places on Buddha Purnima.

  1. Boudhanath stupa:

Boudhanath stupa, another major visited site and an incredible place to find tranquility has been located in Kathmandu since the 5th century. The stupa is very much popular, where people visit from all around the country as well as the world. The stupa’s massive mandala looks just perfect and attractive. This place is already crowded during other days whereas the number of visitors increases significantly during Buddha Purnima. They come here to make offerings and pray for peace and happiness. The shops and eatery add up to the specialty of Buddhism and makes the whole atmosphere lively. 

  1. Namo Buddha:

Buddha has stretched all over the world and the monasteries as well as stupas in different parts of the country, symbolize how much of a great personality he was. The number of people devoted to him trying to walk his path is wondrous. Namo Buddha is one of the most beautiful monasteries located in the Kavre district. It is only 4o km away from Kathmandu and is considered to be a peaceful place. The monks chanting the prayers and the view of mountains, the lap of nature and peace, if you want to experience such, you must visit Namo Buddha. and, of course, because the monastery is Buddhist, Buddha Purnima is celebrated properly and many people visit the place. 

Buddha Purnima/ Buddha Jayanti is based on the Asian Lunisolar calendar, the exact date tends to vary every year. On this day, we celebrate with a prayer with a clean heart, acknowledging the inner world and just detaching ourselves from worldly pleasures. Buddhism believes in harmony, non-violence, and peace can be attempted to adopt by every individual.