Faithful celebrate life of the Buddha

Members of the regions Sri Lankan community visit a shrine at the Pathumrungsiwatanaram Monastery near Clive. Photo/Paul Taylor

The Pathumrungsiwatanaram monastery was aglow with lanterns on Saturday night as the regions Sri Lankan community celebrated the most important date on the Buddhist calendar.

Association of Sri Lankans in Hawkes Bay secretary Mahinda Ellegala said Buddhists from around the region gathered at the monastery on Farndon Rd, near Clive, to celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.

The religious holiday, known as Vesak, was the most important day of the year for Buddhists, Mr Ellegala said.

Lanterns of various shapes and sizes were lit and certain guests, called Dansalas, offered food such as rice and non-alcoholic drinks.

Mr Ellegala said Vesak lanterns represented different stages in the Buddhas life.

There were 50 people in the Association of Sri Lankans in Hawkes Bay and about 75 Sri Lankan families in Hawkes Bay.

Thai monks who lived at the monastery also attended the Vesak celebrations.

The guests walked around a statue of the Buddha in a candlelit procession before snacks were given out.

Mr Ellegala said the Vesak holiday was an immensely popular and colourful event in Sri Lanka.

In Sri Lanka Vesak was celebrated on the full moon of the lunar month of Vesak (usually in the month of May), for about one week.

During this week, the selling of alcohol and fresh meat was usually prohibited.

The Fardon Rd Buddhist monastery, formally called the Pathumrungsiwatanaram Monastery, served as a hub for the Buddhist community whether they were Kiwi, people from Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka or other countries.