Day 112, Fri, May 5, 2023 Evening Columbo, Sri Lanka overnight

Day 112, Fri, May 5, 2023  Evening in Columbo, Sri Lanka overnight

Johnny/Mal Turner and I were heading out for the evening to see the festival. Long story short, we jumped in a taxi van with 3 people I knew and 2 people I did not know.  We spent the next 2.5 hours driving around on heavily congested streets or walking on streets with many, many other people celebrating.  It was quite a festival of lanterns.  

The celebration is about commemorating the three important milestones in Buddha's life- his birth, enlightenment, and nirvana – Vesak Poya is one of the most prominent Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka. Celebrations begin on a full moon day and continue up to a week, filling every home, street and shop with the light of colorful lanterns called Vesak kudu, depicting the light of Buddha. Cities like Colombo and Kandy sparkle with lit-up pandals displaying elaborate panels from the Jataka stories, throughout the festivities of the Vesak festival 2023 in Sri Lanka.

It was quite a memory.  If I can figure out how to add video, I'll add some of the lanterns in motion.  

 

                                            Lanterns under a canopy.

                                                        Lotus Tower is lit up every night.

                                                         Lanterns under a canopy.

                                                Business decorated with lanterns

                                                     Lanterns under a canopy.

                                            Stupa in a traffic circle.  

                Lanterns were strung along the streets and people were walking everywhere to check out the lights.