Buddha Purnima, the biggest religious festival of the Buddhist community, will be celebrated across the country on Sunday amid festivities after two years of Covid-induced restrictions. Buddha Purnima marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha. On this day in 563 BC, Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Kopilabostu at the foothill of the Himalayas. He attained supreme enlightenment at the age of 35 and finally departed into 'nirvana' at the age of 80 in 483 BC. Also read: BTV to air Buddha Purnima special programme 'Jaytu Buddha Sasanang’ President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the Buddhist community on the occasion. President Hamid said, “Buddhist civilization and its culture have been deeply intertwined with the people of Bengal since ancient times. Paharpur and Mainamati Shalban Bihar are its shining examples.” He urged the members of Buddhist community to celebrate Buddha Purnima maintaining health guidelines to prevent future spread of Covid-19. The Prime Minister urged all to work generously to further strengthen the practice and bond of harmony in Bangladesh in future. Also read: Buddha Dhatu Jadi: The sacred tourist spot and its trouble “I hope that by upholding and nurturing the ideals of Gautam Buddha, everyone will play a role in building Bangladesh as a peaceful country,” she said.

Bangladesh’s Buddhist community celebrated Probarona Purnima, their second largest festival, on Wednesday. This full moon day signifies the end of the three month Lent of Bhikkhus. Rangamati Rajban Bihar and Yamchug Banashram Bhabna Kendra, Ananda Bihar and other branches of Bono Bihar of Rangamati Sadar Upazila celebrated Probarona Purnima with prayers for happiness, peace, well-being and forgiveness. To mark the day, Buddhists fly lighted balloons made of thin paper which is also called Phanus Baji, in the evening. When Buddha renounced the world, he cut his hair and threw it into the air, saying: "If my aim and mission of renunciation are fruitful, this tress of hair will go upwards, and if my object and ambition becomes fruitless, it will fall on the ground.” Buddhists believe that the tress of hair went flying into the sky according to the will of Gautama. Launching the sky lanterns is a symbol and commemoration of Gautama's emphatic prediction. Also known as Ashwini Purnima, the festival marks the conclusion of the three-month long seclusion of the monks inside their monasteries for self-edification and atonement of their defilement. The festival follows a month-long preaching of sermons by the Buddhist monks for the welfare of every being and whole humankind through yellow robes offering a ceremony that begins on that day. Meanwhile, with the completion of Prabarana, the 'Danottam Kathin Chibar Danotsab' is starting in the three hill districts from Thursday. However, Gautam Dewan, chairman of the Rangamati Rajban Bihar Committee, said that even though the donation of Kathin Chibar will be held this year, 'bain' will not be woven in Rajban Bihar.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram K. Doraiswami on Wednesday visited Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery on Prabarana Purnima, one of the holiest days, and interacted with the Buddhist community. Doraiswami spoke of the eternal relevance of the message of righteous thought, action and nonviolence, and its impact on both Bangladesh and India. Read: Indian High Commissioner celebrates Maha Ashtami in Kawran Bazar

Bangladesh’s Buddhist community celebrated Probarona Purnima, their second largest festival, on Thursday by launching sky lanterns (Fanush).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has donated Tk 1 crore to the Buddhist community for celebrating their second largest festival- Probarona Purnima- in a befitting manner.

Bandarban’s famed ‘Swarna Mandir’ (golden temple) Buddha Dhatu Jadi, one of the largest Theravada Buddhist temples in Bangladesh, draws a large number of visitors throughout the year.   Located on top of a hill nine kilometers off Bandarban town near Balaghata, the temple gives a grand view of the area.   The temple was founded by U Pannya Jota Mahathero in 1995 to provide a prayer spot for the local Marma community. In 2004, the construction was finished, making it one of the largest Hinayana Buddhist temples in South Asia.   Buddha Dhatu Jadi is a shrine of Buddha’s relic (Dhatu) which is considered sacred and worshipped by the Buddhist community. The temple also holds the second largest Buddha statue of the country – an exemplary piece of woodwork done by craftsmen from Myanmar.