Buddhists here on Monday celebrated one of their major festivals Maghi Punrima in the city and elsewhere in the district with traditional enthusiasm and solemn devotion.
Maghi Purnima is celebrated by the Buddhists on the day of the full moon in the month of Magh, commemorating the day on which Gautam Buddha announced three months earlier his impending death Mohaparinirvana (passing away) on the most sacred Buddha Purnima.
Buddha’s proclamation of his death made his countless disciples sad. He told them, ‘Death is inevitable, so it is not proper to grieve over it.
You should practise religion with conviction; only then will you conquer sorrow by crossing over this world of birth, infirmity, disease and death’.
In other words, the significance of this day is to develop inner strength and acquire power to overcome all sorrows.
The Purnima was celebrated in all monasteries, respective offices of the religious organizations and educational institutions through daylong programmes.
The day’s programme began with hoisting of the national and religious flags atop all monasteries at dawn and chanting of the sacred verses from the Tripitaka.
Breaking of fasting, mass prayer, blood donation, sangadana, discussions, Panchashila, Pradip puja were other highlights of the programme.
In the city, the main religious congregations were held at Nandankanan Buddhist temple, Agrabad Shakyamuni Moha Swashan Vihar, Katalganj Nabapandit Vihar, Purnachar International Buddhists Monasteries at Devpahar and Sarbajanina Bouddha Vihar at Momin road.
In Nandankanon Buddhist temple its chief priest Dr Ganasree Mohathero led the mass congregation.
Traditional fairs are also organised at Buddhist populated regions of Chittagong including Tagorepuni Mela (Patiya), Parinirban mela of Binajuri village (Raozan), Buddha mela of Lathichari village (Raozan), Shakyamuni mela of Abdullahpur village (Hathazari) and Aryamitra Mahaparinirban mela (Raozan).
To mark the occasion, a good number of Buddhist periodicals of the community like Amitabh, Sombodhi and Arya have also been brought out.
Besides, special prayers seeking continued peace and progress of the nation as well as global peace were also offered in all monasteries.
