Wesak Day falls on the 15th of the fourth moon (lunar calendar) and is the most auspicious day in the Buddhist calendar, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha 2,555 years ago. This year the festival falls on 17th May but the date changes each year, because Wesak is a lunar festival.
As we entered the premises, a sitting Buddha and other miniature statues welcomed us warmly. The gold- coloured statue of Lord Buddha, was artfully adorned with twinkling lights, pineapple candles and various kinds of flowers.
The highlight of the celebration was the bathing of the miniature statue of Lord Buddha.
The queue was extremely long when we arrived at the Kedah Buddhist Association and together with other devotees, we waited patiently for our turns to bathe the little Buddha statue with scented floral water filled with petals.
Even Hindus joined in the line for the spiritual ceremony. The ritual was a symbol of purification and spiritual cleansing from bad omens.
While I have not obtained a deep knowledge of Buddhism, I've been captivated by the glowing statue since I was small. The details and beauty of the Buddha's peaceful face was truly inspiring. Standing so close to Buddha, I'm really thankful for all of his blessings in my life.
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. ~Buddha
That's My World
Bathing of Lord Buddha - very very interesting. Thanks for sharing this. I learned an awesome piece of culture today.
ReplyDeleteFantastic photos and i also like the quote by Buddha which rings true :-).
ReplyDeleteWonderful images. I've not seen the bathing ritual before - thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI like your photos of the festival. I find interesting this ritual of Buddha's bathing by the devotees.
ReplyDeletei did the bathing ritual at the buddha tooth relic temple in chinatown, singapore this year. :)
ReplyDeleteif not mistaken, you're from jitra right?
i love that quote! very true and inspiring. :)
Awesome thing! Don't know that. Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteGreat images, Buddha is the love.
ReplyDeleteNice photos! I love reading quotes by Buddha : )
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos, very nice colors!
ReplyDeleteGlad for you, that feel so soft, and I thank you in learning new things!
Greetings and kisses
I love that quote thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of the bathing Buddha before.
Beautiful shots of Lord Buddha.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of this day. Thank you for the explanation and pictures.
ReplyDeleteReally cool! Interesting that Hindus join in!
ReplyDeleteThis was new to me as it was to many others and I found it quite fascinating and very interesting! Terrific post and photos! Thank you for sharing! Enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Like that quote at the end...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures of Lord Buddha. I learn so much from Bloggers. Had never heard of the bathing and cleansing of the statue of Lord Buddha. Very interesting.
Hugs,
Betsy
Thanks for this explanation of the Wesak Day festival. I have known many people who have been devoted to Lord Buddha and have found inspiration and blessings from him. I hope the same for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interesting cultural lesson. I learned something from your post.
ReplyDeleteWhat magical photos of the glowing Buddha. The one with him being bathed is delightful.
ReplyDeletebeautiful photos
ReplyDeletebuddha's birth dy was celebrated widely in india too on the 17th
Nice photos, sounds like a great festival. Although I'm not a very religious person, to me, Buddhism comes closest to the universal truths.
ReplyDeleteAlthough my knowledge of Buddha is far from complete, I do find some of the more reflective images and sayings appealing. I have a Buddha statue in the garden sitting serenely under a red maple tree.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a stunning post! I loved your photos and explanation too. I also like that you showed how the Hindus and Buddhists engage in rituals together. I have long been fascinated by both Hinduism and Buddhism.
ReplyDeleteI very much appreciate the buddhist philosophy, what a nice feast it seemed to be !
ReplyDeleteBeautiful images.;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by my place and for your kind comment.;))
xoxo
We have similar festival here in Japan. It is called "Flower Festival" celebrating the birthday of Buddha held on April 8th. We pour sweet tea over a baby Buddha statue placed in an altar decorated with various flowers. Thank you for very interesting story!
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