Staff Correspondent

The Buddhist community today celebrated one of their major religious festivals 'Madhu Purnima' in the city as elsewhere in the country with solemn devotion and traditional enthusiasm.

The Buddhists in Bangladesh, especially in the region of Dhaka, Chattogram and three hill districts celebrated the day as Honey Full Moon Festival or Honey-offering Festival on the day of the full moon in September.

Madhu Purnima, one of the sacred festivals, is celebrated on the day of the full moon in the Bangla month Bhadra, in commemoration of the service and support rendered by the animals of the Parilyeyo forest, India to Buddha.

According to legend, a monkey and an elephant named Parileyyaka fed Buddha during this time, the elephant bringing fruit and the monkey bringing a honeycomb.

The monkey was so excited when the Buddha accepted his gift that he began leaping from tree to tree and finally fell to his death. However, he was immediately reborn in Tavatimsa as a result of his generosity.

The day's programmes heralded with hoisting of the national and religious flags atop all monasteries, chanting of the sacred verses from the Tripitaka.

Breaking of fasting by the monks, discussion meetings, offering of honey, blood donation and illumination in the evening in all monasteries were other highlights of the programmes.

In the city, main religious congregations were held at Kamalapur Dharmarjik Bouddha Bihar, International Buddhist Monastery at Badda, Ashuliya Bidorshan Bhabona Kendra in Savar, Adibashi Buddhist Temple in Mirpur and other Buddhist temples of the city.

Besides, the main religious congregations in Chattogram were held at Nandankanon Buddhist Temple, Katalganj Navapandit Bihar, Purnachar International Buddhist Monastery at Devpahar, Mughaltuli Saikkymuni Shoshan Vihar, Agrabad and Chandgaon Biswamoitri Vihar.

Special prayers seeking continued peace and progress of the nation as well as global peace were also offered in all monasteries.