ZCZC
BSS-31
PURNIMA-BUDDHISTS
Probarona Purnima celebrated in Ctg
CHATTOGRAM, Oct 24, 2018 (BSS)- Probarona Purnima, the second largest
festival of the Buddhists community was celebrated in the city as elsewhere
in the district today with traditional enthusiasm and due solemnity.
The festival is also known as Ashvini Purnima that marks conclusion of
the three months long seclusion of the monks inside their monasteries for
self edification and atonement of their defilement.
The Purnima follows a month-long preaching of sermons by the Buddhist
monks for the welfare of every beings and whole humankind through yellow
robes offering ceremony that begins from today.
According to this legend, Buddha once clipped some strands of hair from
his head and said that if he were qualified to attain supreme wisdom and
enlightenment, the hairs would not fall down but go up instead, which they
did.
To mark this event, the Buddhists from all monasteries sent up lighted
balloons made of coloured paper are ignited and set free to flow towards the
sky in the evening as a symbol of lighting up the sky which was the chief
attraction of the festival.
The Purnima was celebrated in all monasteries, respective offices of the
religious organizations and educational institutions through day-long
programmes.
The day’s programmes heralded with hoisting of the national and
religious flags atop of all monasteries in the dawn and chanting of the
sacred verses from the Tripitaka.
Mass prayer, blood donation, sangadana, discussions, panchashila and
pradip puja were other highlights of the programmes.
In the city, the main religious congregations was held at Nandankanan
Buddhist temple, Katalganj Nabapandit Vihar, Purnachar International
Buddhists Monastery at Devpahar, Mugholtuli Shakkyamuni Swashan Vihar at
Agrabad, Sarbajanina Bouddha Vihar at Momin road and Biswamoitry Buddha Vihar
at Agrabad.
In Nandonkanon the mass prayer was conducted by chief abbot of the
temple Dr Gyanosree Mohathero.
To mark the day, local dailies brought out some articles while
Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television aired special programme
highlighting importance of the festival.
BSS/MAM/SKB/BZC/1915HRS