Visakha Puja Day – Thailand – 2008

Visakha Puja Day – Thailand – 2008

Visakha Puja Day is the most important Buddhist holiday in Thailand .In fact it is celebrated by Buddhists all over the World -Vesak in Sri Lanka ,Budh Purnima in India.

Gautam Buddha’s Birthday is a holiday traditionally celebrated in East ,South and South East Asia. It is based on Asian Lunisolar Calendars and is primarily celebrated in Baisakh month of Buddhist Calendar and Bikram Samvat of Hindu Calendar and that is why called Vesak. It also falls on full moon Uposotha day in 5th or 6th Lunar Month. It is also celebrated on eighth day of fourth month in Chinese Lunar Calendar. Full moon is Purnima in Sanskrit and hence Buddha Purnima. It is celebrated in April,May or June based on Gregorian Calendar. In 2018 it is being celebrated on 30th April.

Gautama was born in Lumbini in Nepal in 563 BC, attained Nirvana at Bodhgaya  India and gave his first sermon at Sarnath India.

A Stamp was issued on 19 May 2008 by Thailand on Visakha Puja Day. It features Bodhgaya in India where Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi/Bohhi tree. A leaf also features on Cover and cancellation.