VISAKHA BOCHEA FESTIVAL

VISAKHA BOCHEA FESTIVAL

Festivals in Buddhism are special times of celebration. Most of them take place once a year and may last for one or more days. Many festivals honor great leaders, saints, or gods. Others celebrate anniversary of historical event. Buddhists hold tow principle kinds of festivals. The first time of that festival commemorates several key events in the of Buddha. The seconds type of Buddhist festival honors the community of Buddhist monks. One of the first types of festival is “Visakha Bochea”. It is the most important Buddhists celebration. The word “Visakha” comes from the Indian month which falls in may enlightenment, and his death. Therefore, for Buddhists through the world, Visakha is the holiest day. It is celebrated grandly with mass meeting and procession. Caged birds are set free.

Most Cambodia people are Buddhists, they believe in reclamation. This means that when the pass away, they will be born again in the future. In Cambodia, Visakha Bochea festival started under the reign of King Ang During in 1855. It is big festival which Khmer people celebrate in order to have a memory of Buddha, the birthday of Buddha, his enlightenment and his death. Theses three important dates happen in the same day and month but different year. The festival always falls on the 15^th of the waxing moon (May) not only in our country, but also other Buddhism countries In different parts of the world.

Visakha Bochea festival is one of many religious ceremonies in Cambodia as well as other Buddhism countries such as Thailand, SriLanka, Myanmar, etc. it marks the birthday, the enlightenment and the death of Buddha. It’s mast significant time for all the Buddhists in for them to calm down their feeling by listening to the monk’s sermon. In this way, their mood is refreshed and their tension is relieved.