Vesak is a monumental day in Buddhism as it is acknowledged as its primary religious holiday and it takes place on May 19th in 2019. It is widely held as the commemoration of the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha who was the one to lay the cornerstone of Buddhism teachings. On Vesak, the Buddhism devotees gather in their respective temples before sunrise for the ceremony in which they wax lyrical about the holy triple gem: The Buddha (Gautama), The Dharma (his teachings), The Sangha (his disciples). Just like any other religious and traditional rituals, Vesak has symbolic rites in abundance. Laying offerings such as flowers, candles, and joss-sticks at the feet of Buddha statue, pouring water over Buddha statue, and releasing animals and insects from captivity are some of the symbolic rites. Apart from hailing rituals, Vesak is also attributed to sharing happiness to others. Handing out gifts and alike to the poor and charity is no strange activity during Vesak.

We would like to wish all Buddhists around the world a happy Vesak day.