In Pictures: Vesak Day celebrations around Asia

Buddhists celebrated Vesak, which commemorates the birth of Buddha, his attaining enlightenment and his death, on the full moon day of May, on May 19 this year. In various parts of Asia, people marked this day in ways such as performing the "three steps, one bow" ritual, putting up lanterns, and praying at temples.

Updated

Published

May 21, 2019 at 10:10 AM

A 60m by 12m "thangka", a canvas painting of Buddha lays on the ground after it was carried by worshippers and unrolled during Vesak Day celebrations at the Enlightened Heart Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Perak, Malaysia, on May 19, 2019. It will then be held up to enable devotees to walk under it to receive blessings and good luck from Lord Sakyamuni Buddha for the coming year. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

A devotee prays during Vesak Day celebrations at the Enlightened Heart Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Perak, Malaysia, on May 19, 2019.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Devotees pray during Vesak Day celebrations at the Enlightened Heart Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Perak, Malaysia, on May 19, 2019. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Devotees apply gold leaves to a Buddha statue at the Burmese Buddhist Temple in Singapore, on May 19, 2019.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Visitors release paper lanterns during a ceremony on Vesak Day at the Borobudur temple in Magelang, Indonesia, on May 19, 2019.
PHOTO: REUTERS

Geshe Nyima, resident sangha monk at Thekchen Choling, a 24-hour Tibetan Buddhist temple in Singapore, blesses several dogs with holy water during Vesak Day celebrations at the temple, on May 19, 2019. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Geshe Sherup, a visiting sangha from Nepal, blesses Mingyur Russell, an 11-year-old pug, with an image of Buddha during Vesak Day celebrations at Thekchen Choling, a 24-hour Tibetan Buddhist temple in Singapore, on May 19, 2019.
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Indonesian Buddhists use fragrant water to bathe figures of Buddha during a ceremony celebrating Vesak Day in Medan, Indonesia, on May 19, 2019.
PHOTO: DPA

Vesak Day celebrations at Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist Temple and Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple in Singapore. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

A Buddha statue is burned during a cremation ceremony to mark Vesak Day in Mojokerto, Indonesia, on May 19, 2019.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE

A military soldier stands guard near the main road decorated with lanterns during Vesak Day, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on May 18, 2019. PHOTO: REUTERS

Buddhists pray during Vesak Day at a temple in Chonburi, Thailand, on May 18, 2019.
PHOTO: REUTERS

Devotees perform the "three steps, one bow" ritual ahead of Vesak Day at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery in Singapore, on May 18, 2019. PHOTO: REUTERS

Venerables and Zen practitioners officiating the commencement of the "three steps, one bow" ritual and transference of lights ceremony in celebration of Vesak Day at Bukit Gombak Stadium, on May 18, 2019.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

A Buddhist monk prays on the eve of Vesak Day at Borobudur temple in Magelang, Indonesia, on May 18, 2019.
PHOTO: AFP

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.