Buddha Purnima celebrations began on Thursday (May 1) at Prasanthi Nilayam, the Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ashram in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh. The two-day programme is being held at the Sai Kulwant Hall with special prayers and spiritual events.
The morning session started at 8 am with Vedic chanting, followed by an introduction to the festival. A procession of Buddhist monks, lamp-lighting and rituals were held, after which Buddhist monk Khenpo Samdup Lama delivered a discourse. The session concluded with bhajans and mangala arati.
Devotees of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Buddhist monks have arrived in large numbers for the celebrations. R.J. Rathnakar, Managing Trustee of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, inaugurated a Buddha statue as part of the event.
The May 1 evening schedule includes Vedic chanting, a talk by Dhammika Kalabuke, a dance performance by Bal Vikas children, a spiritual discourse, and bhajans with mangala arati.
On May 2, the programme features morning Vedic chanting, a traditional folk music procession, a collective chanting of “Om Mani Padme Hum”, a talk by Prof. Yoginder Verma (Himachal Pradesh head of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation), a video on Buddha Darshan, and bhajans with mangala arati. The evening session will include Vedic chanting, a music programme by the women’s group “Rhythmic Beats”, Bal Vikas students’ dance, and bhajans with mangala arati.
