CHATTOGRAM Feb 19, 2019 (BSS) -Buddhists today celebrated the Maghi Punrima, one of their major festivals, in the port city and elsewhere in the district with solemn devotion and due festivity.
The Buddhists celebrate Maghi Purnima on the day of the full moon in the month of Magh, commemorating the day on which Gautama 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’.
The day’s significance is to develop inner strength and acquire power to get rid of all sorrows and pangs of whole mankind.
The Purnima was celebrated in all monasteries, respective offices of the religious organizations and educational institutions through daylong programmes.
The day’s programmes 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 are 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.
Traditional fairs were also organised at Buddhist populated regions of Chattogram including Tagorepuni mela (Patiya), Parinirvana mela of Binajuri village (Raozan), Buddha mela of Lathichari village (Raozan), Shakyamuni mela of Abdullahpur village (Hathazari) and Aryamitra Mahaparinirvana mela (Raozan).
To mark the occasion, a good number of Buddhist periodicals of the community like Amitabh, Sombodhi, Krishti and Arya were brought out.
Besides, special prayers seeking continued peace and progress of the nation as well as global peace were also offered in all monasteries.
Local dailies have published some important articles while Bangladesh Television Chattogram Centre and Bangladesh Betar Chattogram aired some programmes highlighting the importance of the day.