BUDDHIST FESTIVALS OF VARANASI

After Christianity and Islam, the most number of followers are from the Buddhist religion. Buddha was born in Lumbini (Nepal) in a royal dynasty. From his birth in Lumbini, till his sal ation in !ushinagar, many "ities of eastern #.$. and western Bihar ha e an important role in his %ourney but &aranasi has the most eminent position among all these "ities. 'uring his youth when he was married and had a "hild, the feeling of a ersion from worldliness generated into him and he sa"rifi"ed all he had and went on to witness the ultimate truth of life. (hrough the mental and physi"al affli"tions of years and wal)ing o er pri")ling path of "alamity, $rin"e *iddhartha ultimately attained the enlightenment and be"ome +autam Buddha. 'uring this period, he spent his time at many pla"es. ,e attained the enlightenment in +ay- (now Bodhgay-) in Bihar, but he ga e his first pre"ept of Dhamma Chakka Pavattana (a"tuation of the dis" of religion) in *arnath, &aranasi only. In fa"t, the Buddhist religion was a"tuated here only and proliferated to Nepal, (ibet, .apan, !orea, (hailand, China, /yanmar, &ietnam, *ri Lan)a et". and rea"hed the rest of the world. As &aranasi has a spe"ial pla"e in sa"red Buddhist pla"es and Buddhist de otees from all o er the world "ome and go here a"ross the year, the Buddhist festi als of &aranasi are salient. (he followers of three se"ts of Buddhism i0. Heenyn, Mahyn and Vajrayn "elebrate their own festi als but most of these are "elebrated by all and our dis"ussion will be fo"used on these only. 1ne of the most signifi"ant festi al of Buddhists is Vaishkha Poornim 2full moon day of &aisha)ha (Apr3/ay)4, whi"h is enerated as the day of birth, enlightenment and sal ation of Shkyamuni among all the followers. (he Buddhists obser e Prabht Pheri (morning "y"li" wal)) on this day. (he idol of Buddha at Moolgandha Kuti Vihra is "ir"umambulated and ritually worshiped, bestowing of food to mon)s, religious re"itation and in the e ening "andle lighting is performed, whi"h is possibly a display of faith and un"ompli"ated religiousness. 56"ept Indian followers, the de otees from *ri Lan)a, (hailand, /yanmar,

/alaysia, .apan, China, (aiwan, !orea, Cambodia and Nepal et". also parti"ipate in this festi al with full 0eal. (he /ahabodhi *o"iety organi0es a "olorful gathering whi"h high dignitaries also .oin. Late &ibhuti Narayan *ingh, !ashi Naresh, was also a regular in ited guest of this "ongregation. (he #.$. go ernment de"ided to organi0e a three day Buddhist festi al (Bauddha /ahotsa a) at this pla"e e ery year in 7889, whi"h was aimed to fo"us on the lifetime of Buddha through "ultural presentations su"h as drama et". In later years, this "ongregation was shifted to be organi0ed on the o""asion of Krtika Poornim 2full moon day of !arti)a (*ep31"t)4. As per Buddha:s tea"hing ; Dhammam Hi Passato Mampassati Mam Passato Dhammam Passati <,e who reali0es my tea"hings isuali0es me, and he who isuali0es me reali0es my tea"hings:. $robably, in the spirit of this perspe"ti e , for the last two de"ades nearly, Central Institute of ,igher (ibetan *tudies at *arnath has been organi0ing a bi3annual intelle"tual festi al in their premises. 1n Vaishakha Poornima day, at the rising time of full moon, mon)s, no i"e, s"holars and tea"hers of Buddhology gather on the lawn of *antara)shita Library. An image of the Blessed 1ne is pla"ed on a pedestal with de"orati e light reminding one of Prabhmandal (halo of light). (he fun"tion starts with "hanting of prayers by mon)s in Bhot language. After prayers "andles are lighted in fron of the image by guest3s"holar. ,e also performs the Buddharpana (entrust to Buddha) of the olume of the publi"ation 'hee. (he rare boo)s in India and other "ountries is the main topi". It pie"es together missing portions, "orre"ting faulty ones based on the s"holarly wor)s in all the languages of the world in whi"h that treatise is dealt with, gi ing it a <semi s"ripture status:. (hus is Buddha reali0ed. (here is no pomp and show ; only intelle"tual festi ity. (his intelle"tual festi al is repeated on the Kartika Poornima day, the day on whi"h the Varshvsa (four months stay at one pla"e during the rainy season li)e the Chturmsya of ,indus) is finali0ed. Buddhist tradition en%oins the mon)s

to remain in monasteries during the period of the rains. (hey are e6pe"ted to go out only after this day. 1n this day, festi al is held with great gaiety by laymen at Mulagandha Kuti Vihra and atta"hed Vihras (he reli" of the blessed one is ta)en out in pro"ession lo"ally and adherents from arious "ountries are allowed to see the reli"s in the temple. (his e ent is on"e a year type. After the morning prayers and worship, the mon)s are offered food and gift of robes whi"h they are not allowed to "hange e6"ept on this o""asion. (his "eremony is )nown as Kathina (ri"e fla)es). (he robes were supposed to be made of "oarse raw wool, dyed as per the "olor of the se"t. In !heravada areas, parti"ularly in *ri Lan)a, the tradition is to dye, wea e and stit"h it the same day. =est of this day is spend in meditation and worshiping and in the e ening lamps and "andles are lighted in the temples and Stupas. Another important festi al is "shdha Poornim (full moon day of Ashadha i0. .un3.ul). (his day is related dire"tly with two important e ents of Buddha:s life. (he great renun"iation when he left the pala"e in sear"h of truth> and ; the day when he turned the wheel of law at *arnath by prea"hing <the four noble truths: to Kaundilya and four of those who were his "olleagues in Bodh +aya prior to 5nlightenment. (he o""asion is mar)ed by simpli"ity. (he usual worship and lighting of lamps and "andles at the Dhammeka Stupa, where the prea"hing is supposed to ha e ta)en pla"e. (he day starts with prayers at Mulgandha Kuti Vihara with Dhammnussana Pavattana Sutta and ends in the night with Vasna (Varshan ? =ain). (he &arsha asa is a three month reteat and ends on "sh#ina Poornima 2full moon of Ashwina (aug3sep)4, but the main thrust is not to "elebrate it, but to go for Kartika Poornima 2full moon day of !arti)a (sep3o"t)4. (his is be"ause of the fa"t that on this ery day, the temple was "onse"rated with the establishment and enshrinement of Buddha:s reli"s in the ault below his image after a three day "eremony during 7737@ no ember, 78@7 and it was !arti)a $oornima that day.

5 er sin"e then, e ery year, the Cas)et is mounted on elephants and ta)en round in the pro"ession. (he older (ibetan temple of +ulaga3pa or 'alai Lama:s group "elebrates, other than &aisha)ha and !arti)a $oornima, two other days. 1ne is Losar or the new year day, whi"h a""ording to lunar "alendar falls in February. 1ne is reminded of the famous ,emis monastery fun"tion of Aestern (ibet, Ladda)h, whi"h is a se en day fun"tion with night dan"es by mon)sBothers wearing de ils mas)s ha ing a (antri" signifi"an"e. Lamps and "andles are lighted before Buddha:s image and Khatas (s"ar es) are offered. (his group also "elebrates the 'alai Lama:s birthday in a Cuasi3religious manner. A photograph of 'alai Lama is pla"ed near the image of Buddha and )hata is offered to both. (he followers in o)e Dharmapala 'alai Lama:s deity, along with sages3saints and pray for world pea"e. 33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333D Reference: Kumar Kranti and Mathur Suman, Fairs and Festivals of Varanasi, J na Pravaha, !""#, #!$#%&