Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 23 : On the auspicious occasion of the 2,568 birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, a huge crowd of devotees gathered at the Mulagandha Kuti Vihar in Varanasi.
Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, which is located in Sarnath is a place of worship for the Buddhist community as well as a famous tourist destination.
Apart from this, a large number of devotees were witnessed at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir temple. Devotees also took a holy dip in River Ganga and Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj and Uttarakhand's Haridwar on the auspicious occasion to worship the Lord Buddha on the occasion of Buddha Purnima and Trividh Jayanti.
Along with Varanasi, devotees from India and abroad participated in the grand procession taken out in Bodh Gaya on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
Thousands of devotees from different states and countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet, Myanmar, Vietnam and Bhutan were gathered for the grand event. The attraction point of the procession was devotees carrying the Panchsheel flag along with chanting the slogan of 'Buddham Sharanam Gachchami'.
Along with the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, the devotees were also observing Trividh Jayanti. This day is significant as it marks three important events: Lord Buddha's birth, his enlightenment, and his Mahaparinirvana, all of which are believed to have occurred on Vaishakh Purnima.
On this occasion, President Draupadi Murmu also extended her wishes and wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "On the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all fellow citizens and followers of Lord Buddha across the world."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended wishes on the occasion, sharing a video on his official Twitter account and stating, "Greetings on Buddha Purnima. Over the last decade, our work highlights our deep-rooted commitment to fulfil Lord Buddha's ideals and build a planet that is prosperous and sustainable."
In Prayagraj, devotees gathered at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, taking holy dips and offering prayers on this sacred day.
The Ayodhya Ram Mandir also saw a large number of worshippers on Buddha Purnima. The temple's inauguration on January 22 marked a significant milestone in India's cultural and religious heritage.