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Reflecting on Wesak Day through time

Key moments on Buddha Day from our photo gallery this year and more in the last two decades

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 26 May 2021 11:00AM

Reflecting on Wesak Day through time — On this day of enlightenment, The Vibes wishes all devotees an auspicious celebration. Pictured are oil lamps prepared at the 125-year-old Sri Lankan Buddhist Maha Vihara temple in Brickfields yesterday, May 25. – SAIRIEN NAFIS/The Vibes pic

by Amalina Kamal

AS the first full moon of May reveals itself, Buddhists gather to observe ‘Vesak’ aka Hari Wesak, also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, and Buddha Day.

It is a holiday that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Siddhartha Gautama, widely known as Buddha.

An activity during Wesak Day that devotees take part in is the presenting of gifts, which are taken to an altar to be offered to the Buddha statues. This is a symbol of respect and gratitude to the Buddha for his life and teachings.

According to devotees, giving to others is an important Buddhist tradition. They make a special effort to give to people in need during the occasion.

What is commonly a colourful and happy celebration, Covid has limited celebrations again with enhanced restrictions the second year in.

In a true shared spirit of enlightenment, The Vibes invites readers to mark the occasion by revisiting the festivities in the country over the years, reflecting the challenges and counting on present blessings amid the pandemic.

Workers clean a statue of the Buddha at a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple two days ahead of the religious Wesak day celebration in Kuala Lumpur on May 19, 1997. The 26-foot high marble statue of the indoor seated Buddha was newly completed at the time. – AFP pic

A devotee lights one of the 5,000 oil lamps at a Buddhist temple in Kuala Lumpur on May 29, 1999, as a gesture to bring light to his life on Wesak Day. – AFP pic

A little girl drops coins into golden Buddha statues as a symbol of blessing at a Buddhist temple in Kuala Lumpur on Wesak Day May 7, 2001. – AFP pic

A child is seen praying behind lit candles during one of the holiest dates in the Buddhist calendar. Picture taken during Wesak celebrations in 2007. – AFP pic

Devotees performing the 'Bathing The Buddha' ceremony, a symbol of blessing at a Buddhist temple in Kuala Lumpur on Wesak Day. Photos were taken in May 2009 (left) and May 2016 (right). – AFP and Facebook/Unit Fotografi, Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia pix

Did you know?

The 'Bathing the Buddha' ceremony is a ritual where water is poured by devotees over the shoulders of the Buddha as a reminder to purify their minds from greed, hatred and ignorance.

Buddhist devotees walk under an over two decades old 196-foot-long sacred 'Thangka' during the Buddha Day festival celebrations at the Enlightened Heart Tibetan Buddhist temple in Ipoh on May 10, 2017. – AFP pic

Buddhist devotees unfurl the same 196-foot-long sacred 'Thangka' at the Enlightened Heart Tibetan Buddhist temple on May 19, 2019. – AFP pic

Two Buddhist devotees pray during a prayer procession during Wesak Day back in 2019 at the Enlightened Heart Tibetan Buddhist temple in Ipoh. – AFP pic

Wesak 2021

This year, the occasion is another muted affair due to the significant spike in Covid cases and tighter restrictions on social distancing. The images below portray recent activities in preparation for today’s celebration. – The Vibes, May 26, 2021