The spring full moon day when the Buddha sakamuni was born is celebrated as Buddha Jayanti. The day is thrice blessed since it commemorates the three important events in the Buddha’s life: his birth, the day he attained enlightenment, and the day he passed into Nirvana. In Kathmandu, celebration marking Buddha Jayanti: are concentrated around the stupa of Swayambhunath, the most sacred among all Buddhist monuments in Nepal. Devotees gather from early morning to worship and walk around the shrine in ritual circumambulation. Offerings of butter lamps, rice, coins and flower, and prayer ceremonies go on throughout the day. Religious scroll paintings and images of the Buddha are put on display.

The Buddha Jayanti celbrations are equally fascinating at Buddha is mounted on an elephant at the head of a procession that circles the stupa and then proceeds to another stupa at Chabahil . Large symbolic lotus petals are painted on the stupa with yellow dye of saffron. Prayer flags flutter in the air, and as night falls, the stupa and the monasteries are illuminated with the light thousands of butter lamps.

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