Festivals in the World
Indonesia: Celebration of Buddha’s Birthday at Borobudur Temple
Peggy Iida (Graduate of 2008)
Every year in May, the celebration of Buddha’s birthday is held in Borobudur Temple, which is located in Central Java. In this celebration, a Buddhist monk followed by the visitors, walk around the temple with lanterns and candles in hand. Afterwards, everyone engages in the meditation session where they perform selfreflection. The lantern is a symbol of a man’s soul. According to Buddhist teachings, no flame is bigger than the flame of a man’s soul. At the end of the ceremony, the visitors are allowed to perform medical checkups by local physicians.
Every year, there are approximately ten thousand visitors who attend this festival.
