Next: 20 May 2027
Vesak
The full moon of May, when the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha are remembered with lanterns and offerings.
When is Vesak in 2027?
Vesak 2027 is on Thursday, 20 May 2027. Other years: 2026, Friday, 1 May 2026; 2028, Monday, 8 May 2028.
About Vesak
Vesak, also called Buddha Purnima or Visakha Puja, is the most sacred day of the Buddhist year. It falls on the full moon of the lunar month of Vesakha, and honours the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha, all traditionally said to have occurred on the same day of the year. In Sri Lanka, lanterns and pandals depicting Jataka stories light the streets and food stalls, dansal, give free food to all. In Thailand, people join candle-lit processions around temples at night. In Indonesia, thousands of monks walk from Mendut to Borobudur. Devotees bathe the image of the baby Buddha, observe the five precepts, and release caged birds or fish in an act of compassion.
Vesak dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Vesak date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, 1 May 2026 |
| 2027 | Thursday, 20 May 2027 |
| 2028 | Monday, 8 May 2028 |
What is eaten
- vegetarian meals
- kiribath
- milk rice
Also part of it, and being written: Vesak lantern (The paper lanterns of Sri Lanka.), Dansala (The free food stalls given as an act of merit.), Borobudur (The Indonesian temple where the day is marked.).
More marked on Vesak
🇮🇳 India and 4 moreWater lantern
Small lamps floated on water to honour the dead and ask for good fortuneFestival
🇱🇰 Colombo, Sri Lanka and 5 moreVesakVisakha Bucha (Thailand), Visakha Bouxa (Laos), Full Moon Day of Kason (Myanmar)
A day to honor the birth, awakening, and passing of the Buddha, kept by Buddhists across Asia.Festival
🇮🇳 India and 6 moreBuddha's Birthday佛诞 (Fódàn)
A festival marking the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, observed across Asia with temple rituals and community gatherings.Festival
🇹🇭 Thailand and 5 moreMāgha Pūjāមាឃបូជា
A Buddhist holy day honoring monastic unity, moral guidance and spiritual fellowshipSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇱🇰 Sri LankaPoya
A monthly full moon Buddhist holiday of observance and fasting in Sri LankaSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast
🇮🇳 India and 2 morePandal
Temporary decorated pavilions and arches built for festivals and gatheringsFestival
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Vesak" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Water lantern: 松岡明芳, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Buddha's Birthday: User: (WT-shared) Manoj nav at wts wikivoyage, Public domain, source
- Māgha Pūjā: myself, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pandal: SHUBHAM KR SONI, CC0, source