Bodh Gaya/Patna: With thousands of Buddhist devotees gathered to commemorate the 2570th buddha Jayanti, also known as Buddha Purnima at the Mahabodhi temple, the heritage city Bodh Gaya was transformed into a centre of colour, devotion and international solidarity on Friday.
Devotees and monks from more than 40 countries took part in early morning processions and tableau parades through the historic town, carrying images of the Buddha beneath prayer flags and banners bearing messages of peace.
A colourful procession taken out from the 80 feet Buddha statue in Bodh Gaya upto the Mahabodhi temple marked the beginning of Buddha Purnima celebrations on Friday morning. Among those attending the procession were Buddhist followers from Thailand, Japan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, many dressed in traditional clothing as they joined ceremonies marking one of the holiest days in Buddhism.
The festival commemorates what followers describe as a sacred “Tri-Smriti Day (Thrice-blessed-day)”, marking the birth, enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha. Bodh Gaya is revered as the place where the Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree more than two millennia ago.
Aryapal, a monk attending the celebrations, said the occasion held profound significance for Buddhists worldwide.
“It is special for all Buddhists because the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and nirvana are all remembered on this day,” he said.
In Patna, Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary attended a programme at Buddha Smriti Park alongside deputy chief minister Vijay Choudhary before travelling to Bodh Gaya for the main celebrations. The CM is scheduled to arrive Bodh Gaya Friday afternoon, where he will be attending the main function of Buddha Purnima organized by the Bodh Gaya temple management committee (BTMC) at the Mahabodhi temple.
Earlier, union micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and the Bihar assembly speaker Prem Kumar participated in the prayers held under the sacred Bodhi tree on Mahavihara premises Friday morning.
The BTMC said this year’s observances had been accompanied by expanded public welfare measures to support the influx of visitors.
Authorities said security had been strengthened ahead of the main ceremony and Sanghadana programme, with more than 10,000 devotees expected to attend.
Officials cited scheduled visits by senior public figures including Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, assembly speaker Prem Kumar and Thailand’s consul general in India, Siriporn Thanyatep.
For many pilgrims, the celebrations carried significance beyond religion. As conflicts continue in different parts of the world, visitors said Bodh Gaya offered a message of compassion, coexistence and peace.
For those gathered at the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment, the town remains both a sacred destination and a symbol of harmony in an unsettled world.
