Every May, Malaysia’s 6.5 million Buddhists, about a fifth of the population, gather to celebrate one of the most important festivals in their calendar.
Wesak Day commemorates three important events in the life of Buddha – his birth, enlightenment and passing. In previous years, people met at temples at dawn to meditate and pray, make donations to the needy, and offer incense flowers and lotus-shaped candles as monks in saffron robes chanted the teachings of Buddha.
Devotees stood in line to wash a statue of Buddha, a ritual that symbolizes cleansing and purifying. The day ended with a night parade of decorated floats flanked by people carrying flowers and candles.