According to the legend, Buddha once clipped some strands of hair from his head and said that if he was qualified to attain supreme wisdom and enlightenment, the hairs would not fall down but go up instead, in the long run, which they did.
BSS
25 October, 2026, 12:45 pm
Last modified: 25 October, 2026, 12:55 pm
Prabarana Purnima, the second largest religious festival of the Buddhists, is being celebrated in the capital as elsewhere in the country today (25 October) with due solemnity and traditional enthusiasm.
The festival is also known as Ashwini Purnima, which marks the conclusion of the three-month-long seclusion of the monks inside their monasteries for self-edification and atonement of their defilement.
The Purnima follows a month-long preaching of sermons by the Buddhist monks for the welfare of every being and all humankind through a month-long yellow robes offering ceremony that begins on the day after the Purnima.
According to the legend, Buddha once clipped some strands of hair from his head and said that if he was qualified to attain supreme wisdom and enlightenment, the hairs would not fall down but go up instead, in the long run, which they did.
To mark this event, the Buddhists will release candle-lit air balloons made of coloured paper (fanush) and set them free to flow towards the autumnal sky in the evening, which is the chief attraction of the festival.
The Purnima will be celebrated in all monasteries, respective offices of the religious organisations and educational institutions through daylong programmes.
The day's programmes will begin with the hoisting of the national and religious flags atop all monasteries at dawn and chanting of the verses from the sacred Tripitaka.
Breaking of the monks' fast, mass prayers, blood donation, Sangadana, discussions, Panchashila, asthashila and pradip puja will be highlighted in the programmes.
In the capital, the main religious congregations will be held at Dharmarajik Bouddha Bihar, Kamalapur, International Buddhist Monastery at Merul Badda, Kalachandpur Bouddha Bihar, Uttara Bouddha Bihar, Adibashi Sakkyamuni Bouddha Bihar at Mirpur and Ashulia Bodhigyan Maitri Bhabona Kendra.
In Chattogram, the religious congregations will be held at different temples, including Nandankanan Buddhist Temple, Katalganj Nabapandit Bihar, Shakkymuni Mohasashan Bouddha Bihar at Agrabad, Purnachar International Buddhist Monastery at Debpahar and Sarbajanin Bouddha Bihar at Momin Road.
Special prayers will also be offered in all monasteries seeking peace and prosperity of the nation as well as global peace.
Members of the law enforcement agencies have been deployed in and around all temples in the city and districts for smooth celebration of the festival.