Wednesday, 26 May 2021, is Vesak Poya Day, and much like last year and the year before that, Buddhists will have to celebrate the festival with far less of the bells and whistles they are used to.
With 2019’s tragic Easter Sunday bombings resulting in a low-key celebration in the month of May, and the height of the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc in 2020, celebrating Vesak looks very different to what it once was. In 2021, we are celebrating it amidst a temporary lockdown. 
Vesak is not only a religious holiday, celebrated on the day of the full moon in the month of May, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of Lord Buddha; for Sri Lankans it is also a cultural festival.
The month of May often calls upon the season of light, giving way to the “Vesak Zones”, where communities gather to decorate their surroundings with Vesak Lanterns, pandals, and hosting dansal and other charitable activities.
Commenting on the nature of celebrations, Ven. Olande Ananda Thera stated that it is a Theravada Buddhist practice to celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha on this same day, and it is practiced similarly in other Theravada countries as well. It is recognised by the United Nations as the day of Vesak in order to acknowledge the contribution that Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, in the past over two-and-a-half millennia, has made to human spirituality.
Ananda Thera stated that in the recent past it is noticeable that it has become somewhat of a celebration, rather than a commemoration of a religious practice – referring to how families friends and communities would gather and hit the road to visit the various Vesak Zones, to witness the lights and the creative efforts exercised by people around the island in creating Vesak Lanterns, and of course the Thorana or the Pandols, which relay the life story of the Buddha and various other “Jathaka katha”.
He pointed out that it is important to note that Vesak is not only a religious holiday, but also a cultural festival where Sri Lankans have their own way of celebrating it, and it is another way of reinforcing one’s “faith”. It brings together communities to be of one mind and remember the Buddhist teachings, while they enjoy their unique cultural expression.
Similarly, the Mahanayaka Thera of Sri Saththaramaya Ven. Okewela Vajiravamsa commented that practices like dansal originate from practices in the past, where during Vesak Full Moon Poya day, Buddhists who go on religious retreats – that is those who engage in “wandanawa” – have to undergo a gruelling journey to and from their homes to their places of worship. And so, to help them in their journey, those in the passing villages would prepare refreshments to assist them in their travel.
This has beautifully evolved into the charitable practice of “dansal”, where communities gather to offer food and other refreshments to people in their community, and it has become an occasion where communities gather and enjoy time in each other’s company.
However, with the spike in Covid patients and the high risks associated in public gatherings this year, Vajiravamsa Thera stated that they do not encourage even smaller communities to gather, advising that they carry out their Vesak celebrations privately and limit it within their homes.
Vajiravamsa Thera stated that Saththaramaya has been chanting pirith throughout this past week, and will do so leading up to Vesak Poya day. During the day, they will host several pirith and bhana deshana, which will be broadcasted via speakers to those in the vicinity.
Thero added that even those who do not live near a temple can follow the many television and radio programmes that will be available on 26 May, and they can quietly observe sil amongst the family members, adding that there is no need to visit the temple.
Bosewana Viharaya Chief Incumbent Ven. Godapitiye Indananda Thera shared that it is imperative that we as Buddhist use this opportunity to focus our spiritual beliefs and energies without some of the distractions that come with many cultural celebrations. The Thera stated that on this holy day, it is best if we as a collective, not only Buddhists but all Sri Lankans, make a prayer in unison for this darkness that has fallen upon us all to be eradicated.
He shared that he believes the collective beliefs of a population can alleviate some of the hardships that we are experiencing as humans in the present day.
He shared that amisa puja, which is the practice of “concentrating on the good virtues of the blessed one and offering flowers and other offerings like the practice of lighting oil lamps and such”, is also important to nourish faith. However, the pandemic presents us with the wonderful opportunity to practice what we call “prathipaththi puja”, which is the practice of the Dharma teachings, following the path laid out by Lord Buddha, including medication, and learning the words of the Dharma.
Sharing how they hope to celebrate Vesak this year, we reached out to a number of Buddhists, who shared that while they miss the opportunity to hold dansal and decorate their surroundings as a community, they will commemorate the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Lord Buddha by learning and reciting the words of his Dhamma.
Hirashi Wijesiri, a university student who has been doing online classes for some of her juniors these past few days, shared that the Buddhist students in her class have arranged for their families to all participate in an online event, where they have requested for a monk to conduct a sermon on 26 May, which they can all listen to as a community.
She said that they have made all arrangements necessary for the Zoom set up, and have even delivered food supplies to the temple for the monks “dhane”. Others also shared that they have organised Pirith sermons and Dhamma preaching programmes using sound systems, while maintaining personal distance and home-based offerings.
