BUDDHA PURNIMA  is the most important Buddhist festival in India, especially in the main places of worship. It was on this day the Buddha was born, Enlightened and died. Most of the important events in the life of Buddha happened on this day.

It usually falls in the month of May and celebrated in a great way at Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar as these were the places connected with Birth –Enlightenment-Preaching and Paranirvana. Buddhist in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, India, Japan and  quite a number of Western countries participate in the religious activites in a festive mood.

ASHADI PURNIMA falls in the month of July. Buddhist commemorate two great events in the life of Buddha on this day. It was on this day that Buddha left his Place in search of Truth. It was on this day that he preached his first sermon entitled THE TURNING OF THE WHEEL OF THE LAW.

The Festival too marks both the beginning of the Buddha Sasana and the establishment of the Buddhist Sangha.

MADHU PURNIMA falls in the month of Septemeber. It was on this day that some quarrelsome monks did not attend the Arahatship among the Blessed One’s disciples and to teach them a lesson he went alone into the Jungle and lived with the animals.These animals brought him food and Buddha lived with them for many weeks. Realising their mistake the monks sent their delegation to Buddha to return. When he took leave of his animal friends, some of the animals died broken Hearted and because of their karma, they were reborn as Deva realms.

Indian Buddhist ,on this day offer Honey to the Buddhist Monks in memory of this event.

KATHINA falls in October marking end of the rainy season. In honor of the monks who have been residing in their monastery during the rainy season, the layman and woman offer food and gift.