31st May 2026
Buddhist
On Wesak Theravadin Buddhists celebrate the birth, the enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya in North India, and the final passing away of Gautama Buddha. Mahayanist Buddhists have separate days for each of these events but on Buddha Day they celebrate both the birth and the enlightenment of the Buddha. They also celebrate his enlightenment on Bodhi Day in December. It is common in almost all Buddhist traditions to decorate the houses where Buddhists live with lanterns and garlands, and the temples are ringed with little oil lamps, consisting of a simple cloth or cotton wick in a small clay vessel of oil. Many Buddhists also send ‘Wesak cards’ to their friends.
On this day particular stress is laid on the Buddha’s enlightenment and many lay people come together at monasteries for this, the biggest of all the Buddhist festivals. No matter how important the Dharma and the Sangha may be in Buddhist belief and practice, it is the Buddha himself who is the central figure and originator of Buddhist teaching, and the celebration at this festival of his enlightenment is of central importance to all Buddhist communities.
29th July 2026
Buddhist
Dhammacakka day – ‘The turning of the wheel of teaching’. This is aTheravada celebration of the First Proclamation by Gautama to five ascetics in the Deer Park near Benares. Although he was initially reluctant to teach, he finally rejoined his five friends, with whom he had previously spent several years travelling throughout the Ganges plain, and in their presence he gained enlightenment. He then spoke to them at length and taught them the Middle Way, the Noble Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths, the essence of all subsequent Buddhist teaching. He also ordained them as his followers, the first step towards the foundation of the Sangha of Buddhist monks.
The main activity that takes place on this day is the chanting of the discourse known as the Dhamma Cakka Sutta (the Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Truth). This would usually be in the original Pali language. The month of Asalha marks the beginning of the three months long retreat period for Buddhist monks, a period of meditation and restraint, though it is also a time when lay Buddhists offer a variety of gifts to the monks. It is also the month in which the Buddha’s son, Rahula, was born.
The Tibetan festival of Chokor Duchen corresponds to Asalha Puja in many respects.
27th August 2026
Buddhist (Chinese)
Chinese Buddhist and ancestral festival, often called the ‘Festival of Hungry Ghosts’. Paper objects for use in the spirit world are made and offered to aid those spirits who have no resting place or descendants. Large paper boats are made and burnt at temples to help these spirits on their journey across the sea of torment to Nirvana.
Buddhists and Taoists participate in rituals throughout the Hungry Ghost Month but particularly on the Hungry Ghost Festival. It is thought that the gates of hell are open throughout the Hungry Ghost Month, but that they are most open on this night. It is believed hungry and wayward ghosts often come to visit the living.
Many believers refrain from going out after the dark for fear they may encounter a ghost. They are also extra cautious near water as the ghosts of people who die by drowning are considered particularly troublesome, especially when they wander around the living world.
The Hungry Ghost Festival often begins with a parade where decorated lanterns in various shapes, including boats and houses, are placed on decorated floats. The paper lanterns are then carried to the water, lit, and released. The glowing lanterns and boats are meant to give directions to lost souls and help ghosts and deities find their way to the food offerings. The paper lanterns eventually catch fire and sink.
At some Hungry Ghost festivals, as Keelung in Taiwan, a Chinese character of a family’s last name is placed on the lantern that the family has sponsored. It is believed the further the lantern floats on the water, the more good fortune the family will have in the coming year.
Offering food and support to ancestors and their spirits brings fulfilment, both to those who perform it and to those whose role is to be recipients of it.
26th October 2026
Buddhist
Pavarana is a Buddhist holy day celebrated on Aashvin full moon of the lunar month. This usually occurs on the full moon of the 11th month. It marks the end of the three lunar months of Vassa, sometimes called “Buddhist Lent.” The day is marked in some Asian countries where Theravada Buddhism is practiced.
5th November 2026
Buddhist
Anapanasati day, which is observed by monks in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, is marked by two different ceremonies: one falls on the day after the final day of the three months long Rains Retreat; the other falls on the same day or at some time during the month that follows.
The first is the ‘Invitation’ or ‘Pavarana’ ceremony (see above), usually held towards the end of October. On the same day or up to a month later comes the Kathina ceremony. Anapanasati is the last day on which the Kathina ceremony may be observed.
This ceremony, the ‘Invitation’, takes place at the very end of the Rains Retreat when the monks and nuns meet together and invite one another to point out each other’s faults, as they have been observed during the Retreat. Its purpose is to help them in purifying themselves. A monk (Bhikkhu) has to be open to any criticism from colleagues or from lay people he (or she) has met regarding his/her behaviour.
Being open to criticism in this manner was a way of life the Buddha himself inaugurated. Since then the monks of the Sangha need to be sensitive to complaints made by others in order to win their respect and to encourage them to learn and progress in the Dhamma (teaching). In particular they have to take note of the remarks made by their fellow monks. It is a kind of check-and-balance system between individual Bhikkhus as well as between the senior and the junior monks.
The ‘Invitation’ Ceremony is important ceremonially as well as spiritually. Without it there cannot be a proper Kathina robe-offering – any gifts of robes will only be the ordinary robe-offerings which often follow the Retreat, with no advantage or benefit to the monks themselves.
The second ceremony of Anapanasati falls on or after the final day of the three months long Rains Retreat, after cloth has been presented to the Sangha (the community of monks and nuns) by members of the lay Buddhist community. This is made into a Kathina robe by sewing patches of the cloth together. The robe is then offered by the monks present to a particular monk, usually an especially deserving or virtuous one, in a thoughtful ceremony conducted by four of his colleagues.
The word ‘Kathina’ is Pali in origin. It means a frame used in sewing robes in the period when the Buddha lived and taught in India. The Kathina ceremony is necessarily a monastic one, but the cost of producing and dyeing the robe is usually supported by the generous donations of local devotees. The laity are able to gain merit for themselves by observing the ceremony.
Throughout the four following months the monk who receives the robe enjoys the relaxation of five minor rules (out of the 220 that normally apply during and after the Retreat). These mainly relate to travel and the receipt of alms. Normally a Bhikkhu, whether senior or junior, has to inform his fellow monks who live in the same temple before he goes out. Once he has received the Kathina-robe he can choose whether to do so or not. He also has less restriction on where he travels. Usually he has to carry all the three pieces of his/her robe wherever he goes, but now he can now leave one behind if he wishes. He can also accept other robes if offered during the period of four months.
At the heart of Anapanasati, which means ‘mindfulness of breathing’, is a form of Buddhist meditation initially taught by Gautama Buddha. It is described in several suttas (discourses delivered by the Buddha) including the Anapanasati Sutta. It originated when the Buddha announced in advance one year that he would speak at the end of the Rains. This allowed a large number of monks, elders, and teachers to come together. He praised their various practices within the assembly, and then explained the importance to them of ‘mindfulness of breathing in and out’, and how it can bring ‘knowledge and liberation.’ Mindfulness, meditation and breath control have since come to be at the heart of Theravada Buddhism.
13th – 15th April 2026
Buddhist
This is the traditional New Year’s Day festival in Thailand, where containers of water are thrown over those standing nearby as a symbol of washing away all that is evil. Fragrant herbs are often placed in the jug or bucket containing the water. The name Songkran comes from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘passing’ or ‘approaching’. The most common greeting is ‘Sawasdee Pee Mai!’, ‘A happy new year’ in Thai. Also spoken is, ‘Suk san wan Songkran‘ (pronounced: suke sahn wahn song kran) which means ‘Happy Songkran day’.
This Thai water festival in Bangkok officially runs for three days, starting on the morning of April 13th and finishing on April 15th. Although officially only three days long, many people take time off from work and stretch the festival into a six day celebration. April is the hottest month of the year, and the entire country enjoys its friendly water fights and street parties that can last nearly a week.
The real significance of the splashing with water relates to physical cleanliness, spiritual purification, and making a fresh start to daily life. Houses are cleaned and Buddha statues are carried through the streets to be rinsed with flower-scented water, so symbolically washing off all the misfortunes of the past year, and in so doing welcoming in the new year when a fresh start can be made.
Making merit is an essential part of Songkran, and visiting nine sacred temples during Songkran is considered one of the ultimate merit accumulators. Other merit-making customs in Bangkok include going to the temples to build sand stupas, which are then decorated with colourful flags and flowers. These can be seen around key temples in the Rattanokosin area.
Songkran is the occasion for family re-unions and temple visits. Many Thais observe the holidays by spending time with families and friends, and they may politely pour a bowl of water on members of the family, and as well on their close friends and neighbours. Traditional Thais perform the Rod Nam Dum Hua ritual on the first day of Songkran, which is officially the National Elderly Day. During the ritual, young people pour fragrant water into the elders’ palms as a gesture of humility and ask for their blessings. Known as ‘Songkran Day’, this first day of the festival is an exuberant celebration with processions of Buddha images taking place throughout the country. Thai people prepare themselves for the beginning of the New Year, as for other festivals, by thorough cleaning of their houses. April 13th is also when the water throwing really commences.
The second day of Songkran is officially the National Family Day. Families wake up early and give alms to the monks; then ideally the rest of the day is spent sharing quality family time together. An important religious ritual on Songkran is ‘Bathing the Buddha image’, in which devout Buddhists pour fragrant water over Buddha statues, both at the temple and at home. More religious Thais engage in Buddhist ceremonies and merit-making activities throughout the holidays.
Others may enjoy a series of cultural activities, such as the Thai-Raman flag ceremony, a ‘saba’ game, Raman dances, boat races, floral floats parade, and many more. As well as sprinkling or throwing water, a few local people may practise smearing white powder or paste on the heads of others. The paste is usually brushed gently on the forehead and symbolically wards off bad luck.
Another Songkran ritual is to tie strings to people’s wrists. If a friend or neighbour approaches with a string held by its ends, the custom is to extend the wrist with the palm facing the sky. The friend will then tie on a new bracelet (usually thin, plain strings) and say a short blessing. The tradition is to leave the strings on until they break or fall off on their own.
Buddhist
Buddhists around the world celebrate Gautama’s attainment of Enlightenment in 596 BCE on this day while sitting under a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, in Northern India. Many consider this to be the most sacred of holy places as it was the birth place of their tradition. Bodhi Day is celebrated in many mainstream Mahayan traditions, including Zen, and in Pure Land Buddhist schools in China, Japan and Korea. Buddhist commemorate the day by meditating, studying the Dharma (teaching), chanting sutras (Buddhist texts) and performing kind acts toward other beings. Some celebrate by a traditional meal of tea, cakes and readings.
Siddhartha Gautama, who would later become the Buddha, was a prince in Nepal who had lived a comfortable and sheltered life under the care of his family. When he grew up he travelled about, witnessing the misery of old age, sickness, and suffering. These profoundly affected him, and at the age of 29, he chose to leave his comfortable surroundings and seek meaning in life.
After spending six years living the life of an aesthetic and serving under six teachers, he was still unsatisfied. He tried many different disciplines, even going so far as to survive by eating only one grain of rice per day, but he soon realized that this was not the way to achieve what he sought. Unable to find answers to his questions, he vowed that he would sit under the Bodhi tree (sometimes called the Pipal tree or Bo tree in certain texts) until his way was clear.
Siddhartha fasted and meditated under this tree for a week, and on the morning of the eighth day came to several realizations which were to become the principles of modern Buddhism. It was here, as Siddhartha meditated and gazed upon Venus rising, that the basis of The Noble Eightfold Path and Four Noble Truths were born.
From this point forward he was referred to as the Buddha – The Enlightened One. He was also known as Shakyamuni (the sage of the Shakya clan) Buddha.
Bodhi Day (or Rohatsu), the day of enlightenment, can be celebrated in many ways. To the Buddhist monk it is a day of remembrance and meditation. To the lay people a good way of recognizing this important event in Buddhism is to dwell on its meaning and to place in the home reminders of this event. Often, coloured lights are strung about the home to recognize the day of enlightenment. They are multi-coloured to symbolize the many pathways to enlightenment. The lights are turned on each evening beginning on December 8th and for 30 days thereafter. A candle is also lit for these thirty days to symbolize enlightenment.
In Buddhist homes, a fiscus tree of the genus ficus religiosa is often displayed. Beginning on Bodhi Day, these trees are decorated with multi-coloured lights, strung with beads to symbolize the way all things are united, and they are hung with three shiny ornaments to represent the Three Jewels – The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Sujata offered The Buddha milk and rice which helped him to regain his strength on his pathway to enlightenment. A breakfast of milk and rice would be an appropriate way to start Bodhi day with mindfulness.
25th November 2026
Buddhist
Loy Kratong is celebrated in most of the village and town temples in Thailand and often coincides with the local temple’s Kathina Day observance of Anapanasati. The festival takes place on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month when the water level is high and the climate is cooler. This is usually in November when the full-moon lights up the sky, at the end of the rainy season. The festival indicates a close bond between Thai culture and the creative use of the recent heavy rainfall.
Before the festival, small lotus shaped baskets are made out of bread or the bark of a banana tree or rubber plant leaves, all items that will degrade naturally in the water, and these are elaborately decorated with folded banana leaves or lotus flowers in intricate, towering designs. Into these are placed incense sticks, candles, betel nuts and sometimes a small coin. They are then launched on rivers, canals, ponds or the sea. The sight of thousands of krathongs with their flickering candles sending a thousand pinpoints of light far into the horizon is a truly magical sight.
With them goes a wish for good luck, offered to propitiate the spirits of the water. The floating of a krathong is intended to wash away ill fortune as well as to express apologies to Khongkha or Ganga, the River Goddess for misuse or pollution of her domain. Captive eels and turtles are frequently released into the water at this time in her honour.
Hundreds of krathongs are for sale around the main Loy Krathong festivity areas. Often children will make their own versions at school or with their family. They may share in contests in school to see who can craft the most beautiful and artistic float. If your candle stays alight until your krathong disappears out of sight, it is said to mean a year of good luck, and couples can get an insight into the future of their relationships by watching whether their krathongs float together or drift apart.
In recent years Thais have become more creative in their craft, and design the krathongs from coconut shells, flowers, baked bread, potato slices, some even breaking with the conventional lotus leaf shape in favour of turtles and other sea creatures. On the other hand the base of the krathong often tends currently to be made from synthetic materials and, despite efforts to ban environmentally unfriendly floats, rivers and waterways are often covered with unsightly pieces of styrofoam the next morning.
Loy Krathong vies for the title of most important Thai holiday festival with Songkran, which is held in April. The grandest Loy Krathong celebrations are held in the northern city of Chiang Mai. Large floats are drawn through the streets, fashioned as giant krathongs each with their own theme. Many of the celebrants on the floats dress in regal Thai costumes or as mythical Thai beings, and beauty queens sometimes wave to the crowds.
The history behind the festival is complex, and Thais celebrate for many reasons. The main rice harvest season has ended and it is time to thank the Water Goddess for a year’s worth of her abundant supply. Some believe that this is the time symbolically to ‘float away’ all the anger and grudges and ill fortune people have been holding inside themselves, and including a fingernail or a lock of hair is seen as a way of letting go of the dark side of oneself, to start a new year free of negative feelings.