Year: 2016

Visakha Bucha is one of the most important Buddhist festivals observed in Thailand on the full moon day of the Indian sixth lunar month called ‘Visakha’.

The literal meaning of the term ‘Bucha’ is to pay homage and this day is also called the ‘Vesak’ full moon day. This is a national holiday involving most of the government offices and business organizations staying closed.

No alcohol is served on this day in respect of Buddha. On this day, Buddhists all over Thailand commemorate the three crucial incidents that took place in the life of Lord Buddha i.e. his birth, enlightenment and death.

Miraculously, the Visakha full moon day marks the day Lord Buddha was born, the day he attained enlightenment 35 years later and the day he died and reached Nirvana 45 years more ahead. The date of this festival is not fixed as it’s according to the Lunar Calendar but it generally falls in the month May or June.

On this day, Buddha’s followers remember and celebrate their teacher’s kindness and compassion to the world. On this special occasion, the Thai Buddhists show their great regard for the “Triple Gems of Buddhist Philosophy”.

These are Lord Buddha (the teacher), The Dhamma (the teachings) and The Sang ha (the brotherhood of Buddhist monks). Visakha Bucha day was recognized as “World Heritage Day” by the UNESCO on 13th of December, 1999. This day is observed every year and during this time, Buddhists and even non-Buddhists flock to Thailand to take part in the various ceremonies and processions. The date for Visakha Bucha in the year 2019 is 18th of May, 2019.

Ceremonies And Traditions
On this day, people make merit by attending temples and listening to Dhamma preaching and joining in other Buddhist activities. This way of merit making is known as ‘Tam Boon’. They strictly adhere to the five percepts including abstinence from alcoholic beverages and all sorts of immoral acts.

This custom is known as ‘Rub Sil’. Offering food to the monks and beggars are also prevalent on this day known as ‘Tak Bard’. Renunciation is also practiced which involves meditation and discipline, staying in the temple premises, wearing white robes and following the eight percepts. Another ritual is the ‘Vien Tien’ which is actually the custom of a candle procession around the temple’s Uposatha Hall on the evening of the Vesal full moon day.

In Chiangmai, many faithful followers of Lord Buddha participate in a procession that goes to Wat Phrathart Doi Suthep which is a renowned monastery on a mountain overlooking the city. The procession starts at sunset and goes through the forest for nine kilometers uphill under the bright moonlit sky. The participants arrive at the monastery at around 3 am where they wait till sunrise to pay respect to the statue of Buddha and his relics housed there to earn merit.

Just at daybreak, the devoted followers offer food to the monks and worship the ancient sanctified relics of Lord Buddha. These relics were received by King Gue Na of Chiangmai around 400 years ago from the monarch of Chiang Saen.

The relics are housed in the ancient sanctuaries of the monastery. The final elements of the pilgrimage involve a day of sermons. Following that is a candle holding procession around the main chapel of the temple. The participants circle the chapel and walk clockwise thrice holding three incense sticks, lotus buds and a lighted candle. This is the most sacred of the Buddhist celebrations.

The Perahera Festival, also known as Kandy Esala Perahera, is celebrated in a grand manner every year in the city of Kandy, located in Sri Lanka, in the month of July and August.

People are seen to wear elaborate costumes during the celebration of this festival and takes part in a grand procession.

The procession constitutes of many types of traditional dance performances like whip dances, Kandyan dances, fire dances and various other local and cultural dances.

Lavishly adorned elephants also take part in this procession which comes to an end with diya-kepeema ritual, a traditional water cutting ceremony, held every year at Mahaweli River at Getambe in Kandy. The procession is held in the honor of the sacred relic of the tooth of Lord Buddha which is kept at Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy.

History
The word “Perahera” means procession and it is believed the Esala is a fusion of two different Peraheras, the Esala Perahera and the Dalada Perahera, which are interconnected. The Esala Perahera is believed to have started in the 3rd century BC as a ritual to appease the Gods and request for rainfall.

However the Dalada Perahera is thought to date back to 4th century CE, when the sacred relic of the tooth of Lord Buddha was brought from India to Sri Lanka around 800 years after the death of Lord Buddha. It is believed that the scared tooth relic was carried to Sri Lanka in a grand procession led by Prince Dantha and Princess Hemamala.

However the modern Perahera is believed to have begun from the time when Sri Lanka was under the reign of Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe, the Kandyan king who ruled from 1747 to 1781. During this period, the sacred tooth relic was king’s private property and thus the general people couldn’t worship it. However, the King commanded that the tooth relic could be taken out during the procession so that the public could get a glimpse of it and worship it. In 1815, when the British took over Sri Lanka and the Kandyan Kingdom fell, the tooth relic’s custody was given to the Buddhist Clergy or the Maha Sanga.

Celebrations
The celebration begins with the ritual called Kappa. In this ritual a young and sanctified Jackfruit tree is cut into four parts and then each of it is planted within the premises of four devales which are dedicated to the four Gods and Goddesses, namely Vishnu, Natha, Katharagama and Pattini. 

It was an ancient belief that this practice would shower the blessings of these guardian Gods and Goddesses on the King and the general mass. This is then followed by the Devale Perahera which continues through the next 5 nights. It takes place inside the premises of the Deavles and the priests of the each of the four Deavles takes the pole which is accompanied by canopy and flag bearers, drumming and music, Ran Ayudha and spearman, every evening.

Kumbal Perahera starts on the sixth night and continues for the next five days. At the beginning, the Devale Perahera gather in front of the temple of scared tooth, the most significant Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka where the tooth relic of Lord Buddha is kept, and their emblems are placed on Ransivige which is a dome-shaped structure. The substitute of the sacred tooth relic, which is the relic casket, is put inside ransivige and attached to Maligawa elephant.

The Maligawa Perahera gets together with the Devale Perahera and leads the grand procession. The fireball and whip-crackers acrobat clear the path for the flag bearers and then comes the first official riding on the elephant known as the Peramuna Rala. After him comes the Kandyan dancers and drummers who entertains the crowd and they are followed by musicians, elephants, flag bearers and more dancers. After this a group of musicians and singers, all dressed in white, ushers the Maligawa elephant carrying the tooth relic of Lord Buddha.

Diyawadana Nilame walks right after the elephant wearing traditional clothe. The second procession comes from Natha Devale which is considered to be the oldest building in Kandy and dates back to the 14th century. The third procession goes from Vishnu Devale which is also called the Maha Devale and is located in front of the Natha Devale’s main gate.

The fourth procession starts from the Devale of God Kataragama and this procession has peacock dance in which the pilgrims carry a semicircular contraption made out of wood and decorated with peacock feathers and dances with it. This special dance is known as Kavadi.  The fifth procession starts from the Devale of Goddess Pattini and is located on the West-side of Natha Devale. It is the only procession which consists of dancing by women. After Kumbal Perahera begins the Randoli Perahera and the festivity comes to an end with the water cutting ceremony, Diya Kepeema.

The feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord or Jesus Christ celebrates His revelation or disclosure of divine glory on the top of Mount Tabor of Galilee.

After disclosing the fact that He would be crucified and killed in Jerusalem to His disciples, Jesus Christ along with Ss. James, John and Peter went on top of the mountain. According to what St Matthews had written that on reaching the top, Christ transfigured in front of their eyes with his face shining as brightly as the sun and his clothes became as white as untouched snow.

This feast is held on the 6^th of August in the remembrance of this holy event. This is observed by various Christian communities all over the world. The feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord was turned into a universal feast on the 6^th of August in the honor of the raising of Siege of Belgrade by Pope Callixtus III.

Date of celebration-

In the Revised Julian Calendars, Syriac Orthodox Calendars, Indian Orthodox Calendars, Old Catholic Churches, Anglican Catholic Churches and Roman Catholic Churches, this day is celebrated on the 6^th of August. However in the Orthodox Churches which still follows the Julian Calendar,  this day is observed on the 19^th of August as  6^th of August on the Julian Calendar falls on 19^th of August on the Georgian Calendar. In Orthodoxy, the Feast of the Transfiguration is considered to be one of the twelve Great Feasts and is of major importance. If this feast falls on a Sunday, the liturgy of it is not combined with Sunday liturgy but it completely replaces the Sunday liturgy. In the United Methodist, Lutheran and some other liturgical calendars, the very last Sunday of the Epiphany season which comes immediately before the Ash Wednesday, is devoted to the celebration of this feast. However in the Church of Finland and in the Church of Sweden, the Feast of Transfiguration of the Lord is observed on the 7^th Sunday after Trinity or the 8^th Sunday after Pentecost.

Celebration in Eastern Orthodox Church-

In these particular Churches, the Transfiguration of the Lord is observed during the time of Dormition Fast. But since this is a feast, the fasting is relaxed to some extent and consumption of wine, oil and fish are allowed on this special occasion. In the Orthodox Church this feast is not held only in the honor of Jesus Christ but also in the honor of the Holy Trinity hence this event is like the smaller version of Epiphany. This feast is one of the twelve Great Feasts in Orthodoxy. On the day of Transfiguration, grapes are brought to the church and are blessed after Divine Liturgy.

Celebration in Coptic Orthodox Church-

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is celebrated on 19^th of August which in the Coptic Calendar is 13^th of Mesri. This feast is considered to be one of the seven minor feasts observed in the church and is celebrated in a cheerful manner.

Celebration in Old Catholic Church-

Traditionally, according to the Roman rite Calendar, the Feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated on 6^th of August in the Old Catholic Church however all the local Old Catholic Churches can celebrate it on a different date. The Old Catholic perspective of the Transfiguration has many things in common with that of the Eastern Orthodox Church’s belief. In the Old Catholic Church this marks the great event in which Lord Jesus disclosed his divinity. Even in this Church if the feast falls on a Sunday it replaces the Sunday Liturgy.

Celebration in Roman Catholic Church-

Centuries back, in the Roman Catholic Church, the Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated locally on various days including 6^th of August but none were recognized universally. In the year of 1456, Hungary had repulsed an invasion by the Ottoman Empire of the Balkans by breaking Siege of Belgrade. The news of victory against the Ottomans had reached Rome on the 6^th of August. For celebrating the victory, Pope Callixtus III raised the Transfiguration to a day of feast which was to be celebrated throughout Rome.