🏮Waisak (Vesak at Borobudur)

About Waisak (Vesak at Borobudur)

Waisak is Indonesia's most important Buddhist holiday, the local observance of Vesak, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and passing (parinirvana) of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, all said to have occurred on the same full-moon day. A national public holiday, it draws Buddhists from across the archipelago and beyond for a day of devotion, meditation and merit-making centred on the country's most sacred Buddhist sites.

The heart of the celebration is Borobudur in Central Java, the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Monks and pilgrims walk a solemn procession between three temples — Mendut, Pawon and Borobudur — and perform Pradaksina, circling the great stupa under the full moon. The night climaxes with a breathtaking mass lantern release, when thousands of paper lanterns rise into the sky carrying prayers and wishes, one of the most photographed spiritual scenes in Southeast Asia.

Because Waisak falls on the full moon of the lunar month of Waisak (Vaisakha), usually in May, its Gregorian date shifts each year. The live countdown above tracks the next observance automatically. Add this Waisak countdown to your own page to keep the date of the Borobudur lanterns in view.