Buddha Purnima in India in 2025


  How long until Buddha Purnima?
Buddha Purnima
  Dates of Buddha Purnima in India
2026 May 1
Arunachal PradeshFri, May 1Regional Holiday
AssamFri, May 1Regional Holiday
BiharFri, May 1Regional Holiday
ChhattisgarhFri, May 1Regional Holiday
DelhiFri, May 1Regional Holiday
Himachal PradeshFri, May 1Regional Holiday
Jammu and KashmirFri, May 1Regional Holiday
Jammu and KashmirFri, May 1Regional Holiday
Madhya PradeshFri, May 1Regional Holiday
MaharashtraFri, May 1Regional Holiday
MizoramFri, May 1Regional Holiday
SikkimFri, May 1Regional Holiday
TripuraFri, May 1Regional Holiday
Uttar PradeshFri, May 1Regional Holiday
UttarakhandFri, May 1Regional Holiday
West BengalFri, May 1Regional Holiday
2025 May 12, Jun 11
SikkimWed, Jun 11Regional Holiday
Arunachal PradeshMon, May 12Regional Holiday
AssamMon, May 12Regional Holiday
BiharMon, May 12Regional Holiday
ChhattisgarhMon, May 12Regional Holiday
DelhiMon, May 12Regional Holiday
Himachal PradeshMon, May 12Regional Holiday
Jammu and KashmirMon, May 12Regional Holiday
Jammu and KashmirMon, May 12Regional Holiday
JharkhandMon, May 12Regional Holiday
Madhya PradeshMon, May 12Regional Holiday
MaharashtraMon, May 12Regional Holiday
MizoramMon, May 12Regional Holiday
OdishaMon, May 12Regional Holiday
TripuraMon, May 12Regional Holiday
Uttar PradeshMon, May 12Regional Holiday
UttarakhandMon, May 12Regional Holiday
West BengalMon, May 12Regional Holiday
2024 May 23
Arunachal PradeshThu, May 23Regional Holiday
AssamThu, May 23Regional Holiday
BiharThu, May 23Regional Holiday
ChandigarhThu, May 23Regional Holiday
ChhattisgarhThu, May 23Regional Holiday
DelhiThu, May 23Regional Holiday
Himachal PradeshThu, May 23Regional Holiday
Jammu and KashmirThu, May 23Regional Holiday
JharkhandThu, May 23Regional Holiday
Madhya PradeshThu, May 23Regional Holiday
MaharashtraThu, May 23Regional Holiday
MizoramThu, May 23Regional Holiday
OdishaThu, May 23Regional Holiday
RajasthanThu, May 23Regional Holiday
TripuraThu, May 23Regional Holiday
Uttar PradeshThu, May 23Regional Holiday
UttarakhandThu, May 23Regional Holiday
West BengalThu, May 23Regional Holiday
2023 May 5, Jun 4
SikkimSun, Jun 4Regional Holiday
Arunachal PradeshFri, May 5Regional Holiday
AssamFri, May 5Regional Holiday
ChandigarhFri, May 5Regional Holiday
ChhattisgarhFri, May 5Regional Holiday
DelhiFri, May 5Regional Holiday
Himachal PradeshFri, May 5Regional Holiday
Jammu and KashmirFri, May 5Regional Holiday
Jammu and KashmirFri, May 5Regional Holiday
JharkhandFri, May 5Regional Holiday
Madhya PradeshFri, May 5Regional Holiday
MaharashtraFri, May 5Regional Holiday
MizoramFri, May 5Regional Holiday
OdishaFri, May 5Regional Holiday
TelanganaFri, May 5Regional Holiday
TripuraFri, May 5Regional Holiday
Uttar PradeshFri, May 5Regional Holiday
UttarakhandFri, May 5Regional Holiday
West BengalFri, May 5Regional Holiday
2022 May 16, Jun 14
SikkimTue, Jun 14Regional Holiday
Arunachal PradeshMon, May 16Regional Holiday
AssamMon, May 16Regional Holiday
ChandigarhMon, May 16Regional Holiday
ChhattisgarhMon, May 16Regional Holiday
DelhiMon, May 16Regional Holiday
Himachal PradeshMon, May 16Regional Holiday
Jammu and KashmirMon, May 16Regional Holiday
JharkhandMon, May 16Regional Holiday
Madhya PradeshMon, May 16Regional Holiday
MaharashtraMon, May 16Regional Holiday
MizoramMon, May 16Regional Holiday
OdishaMon, May 16Regional Holiday
TripuraMon, May 16Regional Holiday
Uttar PradeshMon, May 16Regional Holiday
UttarakhandMon, May 16Regional Holiday
West BengalMon, May 16Regional Holiday
  Summary

Marks three key events in Buddhas life - his birthday, the enlightenment and his achievement of Nirvana

  Buddha Purnima in other countries
Buddha Purnima internationally
  Which regions observe Buddha Purnima in 2025?
National Holiday Regional Holiday Not a public holiday Govt Holiday

When is Buddha Purnima?

Buddha Purnima is the most sacred day in the Buddhist calendar. It is the most important festival of the Buddhists and is celebrated with great enthusiasm.

The exact date of Vesak is the first full moon in the fourth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The date varies from year to year in the Gregorian calendar but is typically in May.

Followers of Buddhism have been celebrating Buddhist festivals for centuries, but the decision to celebrate this day formally was only taken at the first conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists held in Sri Lanka in 1950. 

Although Buddhists regard every full moon as sacred, the moon of the month of Vaisakh has special significance because on this day the Buddha was born, attained enlightenment (nirvana), and attained parinirvana (nirvana-after-death of the body) when he died.

Traditions of Buddha Purnima

Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical founder of Buddhism, was born in what is present-day Nepal over 3,000 years ago. There are various opinions concerning the exact dates of his birth and death, but according to Buddhist tradition, he is said to have been born April 8, 1029 BC and died on February 15, 949 BC, although other Buddhist scholars place his birth five hundred years later.

His mother, Maya, was the wife of Suddhodana, king of the Shakya clan. According to Buddhist lore, when she conceived, the queen dreamed that an auspicious white elephant entered her womb. A number of texts recount the child’s miraculous birth, detailing how the baby was received by the gods Indra and Brahma, and took seven steps soon after he was born. He is then believed to have received a cleansing bath from the gods, or dragon kings, depending on the country or culture where the legend originated.

Even though many Buddhists observe Buddha's historical birth on 8th April, the exact date remains in question. Although modern archaeological and historical research confirms that Prince Siddartha Gotama lived around this time.

On Buddha Purnima, people dress in white clothes and give out kheer (a rice pudding) as, according to legend, a woman named Sujata once offered Gautam Buddha kheer on his birthday and it has since become a tradition.

The dharmacakra or dharma wheel is a symbol often seen during Vesak. It is a wooden wheel with eight spokes. The wheel represents Buddha's teaching on the path to enlightenment. The eight spokes symbolize the noble eightfold path of Buddhism.

Buddha Purnima in India

Buddha Purnima, also known as Buddha Day, Vesak or Buddha Jayanti, is a very popular festival in India and is much more than just a gazetted holiday. The day is celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists. The festival holds special importance in Nepal and India both as Lord Buddha was born in the Lumbini region of Nepal and he attained salvation in Kushinagar of India.

In Hinduism, Lord Buddha is considered as the eighth reincarnation of Lord Vishnu and hence the day is celebrated with great zeal and much fervour.

In India, Buddha Purnima is a holiday in Andaman and Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Miizoram, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.


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