DigiNepal · festivals
Buddha Jayanti (Buddha Purnima, Vesak) (बुद्ध जयन्ती (Nepali), बुद्ध पूर्णिमा (Hindi), වෙසක් (Sinhala), วิสาขบูชา (Thai), 부처님 오신 날 (Korean)). Region: Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, worldwide. Tradition: Buddhist. Calendar: Lunar (Vaishakha full moon; East Asia lunar 4/8). Dates: Nepal (Buddha Jayanti) 2026: Friday 1 May 2026 (BS 2083 Baisakh 18; वि.सं. २०८३ १८) [official, source NP]; Nepal (Buddha Jayanti) 2027: Thursday 20 May 2027 (BS 2084 Jestha 6; वि.सं. २०८४ ६) [official, source NP]; Nepal (Buddha Jayanti) 2028: Monday 8 May 2028 (BS 2085 Baisakh 26; वि.सं. २०८५ २६) [official, source NP]; India (Buddha Purnima) 2026: Friday 1 May 2026 (BS 2083 Baisakh 18; वि.सं. २०८३ १८) [official, source IN]; India (Buddha Purnima) 2027: Thursday 20 May 2027 (BS 2084 Jestha 6; वि.सं. २०८४ ६) [official, source IN]; India (Buddha Purnima) 2028: Monday 8 May 2028 (BS 2085 Baisakh 26; वि.सं. २०८५ २६) [official, source IN]; Sri Lanka (Vesak Poya) 2026: Friday 1 May 2026 (BS 2083 Baisakh 18; वि.सं. २०८३ १८) [official, source LK]; Sri Lanka (Vesak Poya) 2027: Thursday 20 May 2027 (BS 2084 Jestha 6; वि.सं. २०८४ ६) [computed]; Sri Lanka (Vesak Poya) 2028: Monday 8 May 2028 (BS 2085 Baisakh 26; वि.सं. २०८५ २६) [computed]; Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia (Vesak) 2026: Sunday 31 May 2026 (BS 2083 Jestha 17; वि.सं. २०८३ १७) [official, source SG]; Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia (Vesak) 2027: Thursday 20 May 2027 (BS 2084 Jestha 6; वि.सं. २०८४ ६) [official, source SG]; Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia (Vesak) 2028: Tuesday 9 May 2028 (BS 2085 Baisakh 27; वि.सं. २०८५ २७) [computed]; South Korea (Buddha's Birthday) 2026: Sunday 24 May 2026 (BS 2083 Jestha 10; वि.सं. २०८३ १०) [official, source KR]; South Korea (Buddha's Birthday) 2027: Thursday 13 May 2027 (BS 2084 Baisakh 30; वि.सं. २०८४ ३०) [official, source KR]; South Korea (Buddha's Birthday) 2028: Tuesday 2 May 2028 (BS 2085 Baisakh 20; वि.सं. २०८५ २०) [official, source KR]. History and significance: Buddha Jayanti marks the birth of Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini, in present day Nepal, around the sixth century BCE; in Theravada tradition the same full moon also commemorates his enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and his passing at Kushinagar. In 1950 the World Fellowship of Buddhists adopted the Vaishakha full moon as an international Buddhist day, and the United Nations recognised the Day of Vesak in 1999. Pilgrims gather at Lumbini, Swayambhu and Boudhanath in Nepal. Dates differ by country because some follow the Indian lunar month and others the Chinese or Korean lunar calendar. Key rituals and foods: Temple visits, lamp lighting, bathing the Buddha image, releasing captive animals, charity and free meals (dana); foods include kheer and vegetarian dishes. Date basis: official = matches a government gazetted holiday list; computed = calculated from the calendar system (tithi astronomy with skyfield and JPL DE421, Hijri Umm al-Qura, Chinese, Korean and Hebrew calendar libraries, or the fixed rule); expected = Umm al-Qura projection pending moon sighting. Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata (CC BY-SA, CC0) and government holiday lists, summarised in our own words.