Poson

Poson, also known as Poson Poya, is an annual festival held by Sri Lankan Buddhists celebrating the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC.[1][2] The festival is the most important Poya (full moon) holiday of the year and the second most important Buddhist holiday of the year, being surpassed in importance by Vesak.[3] Poson is celebrated throughout the island, with the most important ceremonies of the festival being held in Anuradhapura and Mihintale. The festival is held in early June, coinciding with the June full moon.[4][5][3]

Poson
A Poson pandal at Aluthgama
Observed bySri Lankan Buddhists
SignificanceCommemoration of the spread of Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
BeginsEarly June
EndsEarly June

Festival

Poson is celebrated to commemorate the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Mahinda in 236 BC.[6] The focal point of the religious festival is the Buddhist monastic complex on the mountain of Mihintale, where Arahath Mahinda Thero preached Buddhism to one of the kings of Sri Lanka. Celebrations are also centered around Buddhist sites in Anuradhapura, which was one of the first cities in Sri Lanka to convert to Buddhism. During Poson, these two locations attract thousands of pilgrims from across Sri Lanka. These pilgrims dress in white and worship at the spiritual locales. Many of the most devoted pilgrims spend hours in quiet contemplation to honor the traditions of Buddhism.[3]

Outside of Anuradhapura and Mihintale, the festival is celebrated with the telling of stories, music, dancing, the giving of free food and teas (provided by special vendors known as Dansals), and the hanging of paper lanterns.[3] Some parts of Sri Lanka prohibit the selling of meat and alcohol during the festival.[4][6]

References
  1. "Poson festival". Sunday Observer. 2017-06-07. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  2. "Poson Festival | Royal Holidays". Home. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  3. "Poson Festival in Sri Lanka". lanka.com. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  4. "Poson Festival of Sri Lanka | Buddhistdoor". www.buddhistdoor.net. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  5. SureshikaThilakarathna. "The Poson Festival". Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  6. "The significance of Poson Full Moon Poya Day - Sri Lanka News". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst | Breaking News and Latest News provider | Political | Sports | International | Business. 2017-06-08. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.