Ladlefuls of water are scooped from the basin and poured over the statue, in remembrance of the legend that the infant prince was showered with the waters of nine dragons soon after he was born. The main theme of Vesak Day is to practice love, peace and harmony as taught by the Buddha. In Singapore this day is celebrated every year with the faithful visiting their nearest temple, preparing their offerings and then engaging in a number of rituals. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. The difference also manifests in the observance of other Buddhist holidays, which are traditionally observe… Worshippers often bring offerings of flowers, candles and incense, which they lay at the feet of various statues of the Buddha. If there are two full moons during the month of May, some countries (including Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Malaysia) celebrate Vesak on the first full moon, while others (Thailand, Singapore) celebrate the holiday on the second full moon because of a different local lunar observance. In Buddhism, the burning of joss sticks and incense are considered sacred offerings to the Buddha and his teachings. This is where you’ll see devotees practise the two-hour-long ‘three-step, one-bow’ ritual, taking steps on both knees, bowing at every third step as they pray for world peace, personal blessings and repentance. This is when the Buddhist flag is hoisted, and hymns are sung in praise of the Buddha, the Dharma (his teachings), and the Sangha (his disciples). Vesak Day, also known as Buddha’s Day, will be celebrated this year on 7 May 2020. Vesak Day is one of the most important, holiest days celebrated by Buddhists, as it marks the birth, enlightenment (Nirvana), and death (Parinirvana) of the Gautama Buddha. Festivities for Vesak Day begin at the crack of dawn in Singapore, as devout Buddhists congregate at temples for a ceremony. Façade shot of Singapore’s iconic landmark, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Copyright © 2020 Singapore Tourism Board. One of the most popular rituals you will notice on Vesak Day is that of ‘bathing’ the Buddha. Create your own Singapore guide with up to 12 of your Favourites. Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates. For more information, click here. Visit this Temple of 1000 Lights at night, when the central Buddha statue is illuminated by the wattage of hundreds of light bulbs all around it. It represents the birth, the Nirvana (enlightenment) and the Parinirvana (death) of Gautama Buddha. The Singapore Tourism Board is stepping up on precautionary measures for your safety and well-being. Statues of the Lord Buddha are illuminated, and the day often ends with candlelight processions through the streets. Only vegetarian meals are eaten even as Buddhists organise mass blood donations at hospitals, visit homes for the aged or distribute gifts of cash to the needy. We cover the history, the dates, and the celebrations behind this culturally significant festival. The celebration concludes with a candlelit procession through the streets. Subscribe to our newsletter to get hand-picked features every fortnight. The withering of the flowers and burning of the candles and incense signifies the transience of life and represents acceptance that life, like the offerings, will eventually decay. Vesak Day is a holy day celebrated by Buddhists. Worshippers practise the “three-step, one-bow” ritual, which entails taking steps on both knees and bowing on the third step as they pray for prosperity, world peace and repentance. This place is worth a gander because it houses the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic in a hefty 3.5-tonne stupa, containing 320 kilogrammes of gold donated by devotees. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. In Singapore, the public holiday is celebrated annually on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Vesak Day, otherwise known as Buddha’s Day, is a day where Buddhists gather to commemorate the birth, Nirvana (enlightenment) and Parinirvana (death) of Gautama Buddha. The procession usually lasts around two hours and is a great way for devout Buddhists to round off Vesak Day. Worshippers often bring offerings of flowers, candles and incense, which they lay at the feet of various statues of the Buddha. List of dates for other years. Head to Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery on Bright Hill Road for a peek at one such procession. The exhausting two-hour procession actually begins 24 hours before, when many reserve a place in the procession. Celebrations for the day begin at the crack of dawn, when devout followers of the faith congregate at temples to witness the hoisting of the Buddhist flag and sing hymns in praise of Buddha, Dharma (his teachings) and the Sangha (his disciples). Others release caged birds and animals, a symbol of liberation for Buddhists, or spend hours chanting mantras. Singapore holidays 2020. The rest of the day is usually spent on Dana, or the act of doing good deeds, as devotees believe that performing acts of kindness on Vesak Day will multiply personal merit many times over. To access and edit all your Favourites, click on the star button at the top right corner of every page throughout our site. Vesak Day is a major event on the Buddhist calendar. The withering of the flowers and burning of the candles and incense signifies the transience of life and represents acceptance that life, like the offerings, will eventually decay. |. Mahayana Buddhist temples in Singapore, like the Phor Kark, practise the “three-step, one-bow” ritual on Vesak Day. Photo by Colin Capelle (capelle79) via Foter.com. or the act of doing good deeds, as devotees believe that performing acts of kindness on Vesak Day will multiply personal merit many times over. You have exceeded the number of Favourites. Devoted Buddhists and many observers of the faith congregate at their temple before dawn, saffron-clad monks chant the sutras, the Buddhist flag is raised and the people sing hymns to celebrate the Buddha, the Dharma (his teachings) and the Sangha (his disciples). The central theme of Vesak Day is to promote love, peace and harmony following the teachings of Buddha, offering an opportunity for Buddhists to rededicate themselves to the faith. As you browse through our site, add pages to your Favourites by clicking on the star button within every article. The fact that the candles and joss sticks burn down and the flowers wither is meant to remind all worshippers that life is fleeting and transient, that all things decay and eventually pass away. The rest of the day is usually spent on Dana. In Singapore, it’s celebrated on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Please remove some of them to add more. But sadly, it seems we’ll miss out on the annual Buddhist festival, no thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.. To keep spirits up, the Buddhist Fellowship has decided to take celebrations online and commemorate e-Vesak Day instead. Okay. Mahayana Buddhist temples in Singapore, like the Phor Kark, practise the “three-step, one-bow” ritual on Vesak Day. Seated on 50 acres of land, this temple is more than a century old with most of its glory intact thanks to 11 years of painstaking restoration work. Buddhists believe that performing good deeds on Vesak Day will multiply merit and it is often a day when Buddhist youth organise mass blood donations at hospitals and other Buddhists perform acts of generosity that can include releasing of caged birds and animals, taking goods to the poor and needy, and making gifts to charity. Devotees take steps on both knees, bowing at every third step as they pray for … Worshippers crowd around basins or pools decorated with garlands of flowers and dominated by a small central elevated statue of the child Siddhartha. Hive Life Magazine is the leading voice for entrepreneurs and startups in the Asia Pacific. This is when the Buddhist flag is hoisted, and hymns are sung in praise of the Buddha, the Dharma (his teachings), and the Sangha (his disciples).. Offerings and good deeds Vesak Day is a public holiday. On Vesak Day, temples are decorated with flags and flowers. One of Singapore’s most iconic places of worship, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is built in an architectural style that hearkens back to the Tang Dynasty. These acts of generosity are also known as Dana. The rest of the day is spent on worthy causes, as devotees believe that performing good deeds on Vesak Day will multiply merit many times over. Devotees take steps on both knees, bowing at every third step as they pray for world peace, personal blessings and repentance. The central theme of Vesak Day is to promote love, peace and harmony following the teachings of Buddha, offering an opportunity for Buddhists to rededicate themselves to the faith. 5 Best Food Delivery Services in Singapore, The 9 Absolute Best Things to Do in Singapore: A 24 Hour Guide. Is Vesak Day a Public Holiday? Vesak Day is the most significant day of the Buddhist calendar. Vesak Day Dates. Let our site be more useful to you each time you visit by enabling your cookies so we can remember details like your preferred language and more for a smoother browsing experience. Vesak Day falls on Thursday (7 May) this year. Singapore Public Holidays 2020 This page contains a national calendar of all 2020 public … The day ends with a candlelight procession through the streets of Singapore, during which statues of the Buddha are illuminated. The month of May usually has one full moon, but as there are 29.5 days between full moons, occasionally there are two. https://hivelife.com/vesak-day-singapore/. Offerings of flowers, candles and joss sticks are also brought to the temples. These offerings demonstrate that the believers accept that life, like the offerings, is subject to decay and destruction. The celebration concludes with a candlelit procession through the streets. We encourage you to use our e-services to minimise your time spent in public places. In Singapore, the public holiday is celebrated annually on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. It is a public holiday in Singapore which celebrates the birth, enlightenment and nirvana of Buddha.. Celebrations for the day begin at the crack of dawn, when devout followers of the faith congregate at temples to witness the hoisting of the Buddhist flag and sing hymns in praise of Buddha, Dharma (his teachings) and the Sangha (his disciples). This … Singapore has further strengthened our defences against the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). Festivities for Vesak Day begin at the crack of dawn in Singapore, as devout Buddhists congregate at temples for a ceremony. Buddhist Fellowship Celebrates E-Vesak Day In Light Of Covid-19. Singapore holidays 2021. Buddhists in Singapore and the world over celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha on Vesak Day, a time of joy, peace and reflection. Burmese and Sri Lankan Buddhists mark this day by cooking a pot of rice in milk, marking Buddha’s last meal before the long fast that brought him to enlightenment. It usually falls in May, on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Worshippers bring offerings of flowers, candles and incense to lay at the feet of the statues.