Vesak is one of the most important Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka. This festival celebrates with great enthusiasm and reverence by the Sri Lankan people. Vesak is an annual festival that marks the commemoration of the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Lord Buddha. This religious and cultural festival is celebrated not only by Buddhists but also by other ethnic communities in the country. During this time, Buddhist temples and homes are decorated with colorful lanterns, and people gather to make offerings and participate in various cultural and religious activities.
Vesak is a grand celebration not only for Sri Lankans but also for Buddhists all over the world. Apart from Sri Lanka, countries including India, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Taiwan, and many other Southeast Asian countries celebrate Vesak Festival. Certainly, the celebrations in Sri Lanka are the most elaborate and grand among all these countries. Thus, tourists who are visiting Sri Lanka can get a wonderful experience by watching these spectacular Vesak decorations during this period.
In 2023, the Vesak festival in Sri Lanka starts on the full moon Poya day of 4th May and there is a one-week-long celebration. In this post, we will bring you the details of the importance of Vesak Day and how to celebrate it in Sri Lanka.
What is the Vesak festival?
Vesak festival commemorates three important events that took place in the life of Lord Buddha. They include the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Lord Buddha.
First comes the birth of Siddhartha Gautama in the Lumbini Garden. Queen Mahamaya gave birth to Lord Buddha in this garden. Currently, this place is located in Nepal.
The second event was Siddhartha Gautama’s supreme attainment as the Lord Buddha, call as the Enlightenment. Presently, this extraordinary place calls as Bodh Gaya in India.
The third event was Lord Buddha’s Parinirvana at Kushinagar in India. At the age of 80, Lord Buddha announced his passing away and the Parinirvana happened on a Vesak Poya day.
Religious celebrations
Vesak is the time to reflect on the teachings of Lord Buddha and to honor his legacy. Thus, most Sri Lankans observe “Sil” on Vesak day. Sil involves observing certain moral precepts, such as refraining from killing, lying, stealing, and other harmful actions. The sil programs are available in all the Buddhist temples.
The people observing sil dressed in all-white costumes. They spend the entire day in the temple engaging in meditating and listening to the teaching of Buddha. Definitely, Buddhists consider observing sil during the Vesak festival as a way to deepen the spiritual practice.
Visiting the Temple on Vesak Poya day is an important activity for every Buddhist family. By offering flowers and lighting oil lamps, Sri Lankan Buddhists offer their respect to Lord Buddha. Usually, white-clad Buddhists visit the temples throughout the Vesak week to participate in religious ceremonies.
Decorating temples
Vesak calls as the festival of light since almost all the decorations are in the form of illuminations. Buddhists like to pay homage to Lord Buddha by decorating temples with lights and Buddhist flags. All the historical stupas in Sri Lanka are illuminated by electric lights during this period.
Vesak lanterns
One of the most significant aspects of the Vesak festival is the lighting of lanterns. All the Buddhist families prepare these Vesak decorations days before the festival. These lanterns include intricate ‘Vesak Kudu’, an artistic creation of Sri Lankans.
Vesak Kudu comes in various shapes and sizes. A variety of materials, such as bamboo and paper used to make them. These lanterns have intricate designs and light up with candles or electric bulbs. Buddhists hang these lanterns in front of houses and dedicated Vesak zones.
Rotating lanterns
Other than these small Vesak kudus, there are some bigger rotating lanterns. These rotating lanterns ar give an eye-pleasing view to the visitors. They are illuminated and presented beautifully. These towering lanterns are made from bamboo frames, covered in colored paper, and electrically illuminated.
The rotating Vesak lanterns are a visually stunning spectacle for visitors. There is a large lantern and tiny lanterns surrounding it. These tiny lanterns are decorated in many colors. Certainly, rotating lanterns showcase the creative talents of the people, and every lantern or ‘kudu’ is unique, and produced with dedicated devotion.
Other decorations
Other decorations consist of Buddhist flags, paper lanterns, colorful buckets, and little clay oil lamps. All these are lit up on Vesak evening. In addition to these traditions, there are also various cultural performances and ceremonies that take place during the Vesak festival. These include street processions with traditional dance and music performances.
Vesak pandals
One of the most popular activities during the Vesak festival is creating pandals (Thorana). Pandals are a beautiful expression of homage to Lord Buddha. The entire structure is illuminated by hundreds of colored blinking lights. These elaborate structures depict the scenes from the life of Lord Buddha.
Pandals are mostly sponsored by donors, religious societies, and welfare groups. Each pandal illustrates a story from the 550 Past Life Stories of the Lord Buddha. They display beautiful paintings, colorful lights, and other decorations. The story is narrated for the crowd gathered to witness this beautiful creation.
Vesak Dansal
The Vesak period is a time of sharing peace and joy with people. So, people make a special effort to assist those in need and bring happiness to others. An important tradition during the Vesak festival is the giving of alms to the poor and needy. Many Buddhists believe that giving to those in need is one of the best ways to honor the teachings of Buddha and accumulate good karma.
One of the most prominent features of the Vesak festival is free food stalls call as “Vesak Dansala”. It is a place where foods or drinks are freely given away. There are different kinds of Dansala including rice, juice, coffee, tea, and many other food items. This is a popular sight all over Sri Lanka during the Vesak period. It renders an immense service to the people. Some roadside stalls offer soft drinks, ice cream, fruit salad, all free of charge.
The food is prepared using donations of money and dry rations from devotees. Everyone who is hungry is welcome at these stalls. Operating a dansala to provide free food and drink is one of the most meritorious acts one can engage in during the Vesak festivities.
Ban of liquor sales
The Vesak festival is a public holiday in Sri Lanka, which means that many businesses and government offices are closed during this time. This allows people to fully immerse themselves in the festivities and take part in various religious and cultural activities. The sale of alcohol is strictly prohibited during the festival. Also, the farm shops selling meat and fish are closed throughout this period.
Vesak in Colombo
The capital city of Colombo hosts the biggest Vesak celebration in Sri Lanka. There are a number of Vesak zones that are dedicated to festivities. Thus, this is the perfect time to see the city of Colombo become alive and turn into a glamorous place with nightly illuminations.
Vesak festival transforms the capital into a sparkling wonderland. You’ll find richly decorated Vesak lanterns everywhere. In order to witness this light spectacle, there is a massive influx of people from all parts of the country to Colombo. Visitors get the chance to witness the dazzling sight of Sri Lanka’s major light festival.
Vesak in Gangaramaya Temple
Particularly, the top vibrant Vesak celebrations are available at the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple in Colombo. Without a doubt, you’ll be mesmerized by the elaborate illuminations and decorations of the temple.
There are soulful Bhakti Geetha recitals on a stunning floating stage at the Beira Lake near the temple. Moreover, there are several cultural performances including the captivating dansal organized near the main stage.
The lake is the perfect place to soak in the spiritual ambiance of the Vesak celebrations in the Temple. Definitely, the Vesak festival in Gangaramaya Temple is a must-visit Vesak zone in Sri Lanka.
To sum up, the Vesak festival is an important cultural and religious event that is celebrated with great enthusiasm and reverence in Sri Lanka. Whether you are a Buddhist or not, the festival offers a unique opportunity to experience the rich culture and traditions of the country. This is a beautiful and inspiring event that is worth experiencing at least once in your lifetime. Let’s enjoy spectacular Vesak celebrations in Sri Lanka.!
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