Buddha Purnima today

Today is Buddha Purnima, the biggest religious festival of the Buddhist community. The day is being celebrated across the country.

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.

The day is a public holiday.

On the occasion, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus greeted the members of the Buddhist community as well as the countrymen.

On the eve of Buddha Purnima, Prof Yunus extended warm felicitations to the Buddhist community in Bangladesh and around the world today.

The celebrations usually start with lighting of lamps and hoisting of the national and religious flags atop the Mohabihar and chanting of sacred verses from Tripitaka.

The Buddhist devotees are expected to offer various gift items, including fruits, flowers and candles, to statues of Lord Buddha throughout the day.