KATHMANDU, MAY 23
Buddha Jayanti, marking the birth of Lord Buddha, is being observed across Nepal today. This year marks the 2568th Buddha Jayanti.
Also known as Buddha Purnima, the celebration falls on Baishakh Shukla Purnima, a full moon day according to the lunar calendar. Devotees visit Buddhist monasteries and shrines to honor Lord Buddha, revered as a messenger of peace whose teachings founded Buddhism.
Traditional lamps are lit around Mayadevi Mandir, the site where Queen Mayadevi is believed to have given birth to Prince Siddhartha. Special worship ceremonies are held, with monks, nuns, and followers meditating and praying since yesterday.
A special program is scheduled for today, featuring Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Chair of the Lumbini Development Board and Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang, Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Jokh Bahadur Mahara, and various other government officials and Chiefs of foreign diplomatic missions.
