The festival comes with many names; Buddha Purnima, Buddha Jayanti, Vesak or, for others, simply the Buddha's birthday. Whatever the moniker, it's the most important day in the Buddhist calendar and a time for celebration and prayer.
The exact date changes every year with the Asian lunisolar calendar and is a public holiday in many Asian countries. It is celebrated all over the world though wherever there are practicing Buddhists.
Explore related stories
