Modhu purnima Monday
The Buddhists in Chattogram will celebrate one of their major festivals Modhu Purnima in the city as elsewhere in the district tomorrow with solemn devotion and traditional enthusiasm.
The Buddhists in Bangladesh, especially in the region of Chattogram celebrate Madhu Purnima on the day of the full moon in the month of September.
The day commemorates an occasion on which the Buddha retreated to the wilderness of Parileya forest in India to bring peace between two quarrelling factions of his disciples, BSS reports.
According to legend, a monkey and an elephant named Parileyyaka fed him during this time, the elephant bringing fruit and the monkey bringing a honeycomb.
The monkey was so excited when the Buddha accepted his gift. In his joy, the monkey started jumping from tree to tree and suffered a fatal fall.
It was the day of the full moon in September. The day was named Madhu Purnima or ‘honey full-moon’ to commemorate the gift of the monkey.
However, the monkey was immediately reborn in Tavatimsa as a result of his generosity.
The festival will be celebrated in all monasteries, respective offices of the religious organisations and educational institutions through daylong programmes.
The day’s programmes will herald with hoisting of the national and religious flags atop all monasteries, chanting of the sacred verses from the Tripitaka.
Breaking of fasting by the monks, discussion meetings, offering of honey, blood donation and illumination in the evening in all monasteries are other highlights of the programmes.
In the city, the main religious congregations will be held at Nandankanon Buddhist Temple, Katalganj Navapandit Vihar, Purnachar International Buddhist Monastery at Devpahar, Mughaltuli Saikkymuni Shoshan Vihar, Agrabad and Chandgaon Biswamoitri Vihar.
To mark the day, local dailies will publish some articles while Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television, Chattogram centres will air special programmes highlighting importance of the festival.
Besides, special prayers seeking continued peace and progress of the nation as well as global peace will also be offered in all monasteries.
