Symbolic Photo

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 6, 2025 (BSS) - Probarona Purnima, the second-largest festival of the Buddhists, is being celebrated in the port city and its adjacent upazillas of the district today with traditional enthusiasm and solemnity.

This festival, also known as Ashvini Purnima, marks the conclusion of the three-month-long seclusion of monks inside their monasteries for self-edification and atonement of their defilement.

The Purnima festival follows a month-long series of sermons by Buddhist monks aimed at promoting the welfare of all beings. The festivities begin with a ceremony where yellow robes are offered. Legend has it that Buddha once clipped some hair from his head and predicted that if he were to attain supreme wisdom, the hair would not fall but rise up, which it did.

To commemorate this event, Buddhists release colored paper balloons into the sky in the evening, symbolizing the illumination of the sky. The festival is celebrated in monasteries, religious organizations, and educational institutions with day-long programs.
 
The day's programs began with the hoisting of national and religious flags on all monasteries at dawn, followed by the chanting of sacred verses from the Tripitaka. 
Other highlights included mass prayer, blood donation, sangadana, discussions, panchashila, and pradip puja.
 
In the port city, the main religious gatherings took place at various locations such as Nandankanan Buddhist temple, Katalganj Nabapandit Vihar, Purnachar International Buddhists Monastery at Devpahar, Mugholtuli Shakkyamuni Swashan Vihar at Agrabad, Sarbajanina Bouddha Vihar at Momin road, and Biswamoitry Buddha Vihar at Agrabad.
 
Local newspapers published articles to commemorate the day, while Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television aired special programs highlighting the significance of the festival.