For the past 10 years, the Border's Sri Lankan community has been lighting up the centre of Wodonga.
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That tradition will continue in 2024 when Albury Wodonga Sri Lankan Buddhist Association members gather at Junction Square on Saturday, May 11, for the Vesak Lantern Festival to mark the three most important events of Buddha.
In Sri Lanka, it is known as "Themagula" or the three Buddhist auspicious events - birth, enlightenment and Mahaparinibbana (death) of the Buddha and is celebrated largely in Sri Lanka and most other Buddhist countries.
Albury Wodonga Sri Lankan Buddhist Association president Chaminda Siriwardana said the significance of Vesak lies with the Buddha's teaching of cessation of suffering and universal peace to all humankind.
"It is a message to urge followers to do which is good and to turn away from evil," he said.
"Vesak signifies peace and harmony between human beings and nature."
The festival will run from 4.30pm to 10pm, featuring colourful lanterns of various shapes made from bamboo sticks decorated in coloured tissue paper, which carry the eight precepts - happiness or sorrow, win or loss, appreciation or hate, good or bad, hung around the gantry area of Junction Square.
There will be presentations by the Albury Wodonga Sinhalese Language School, while its students will sing religious songs known as "Bhak Geetha".
Mr Siriwardana said in Sri Lanka, Vesak is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of May and continued for a week.
"During this period, all Buddhist homes, public spaces, temples are illuminated with lanterns, lamps, pandals (illuminated picture stories) of the life of Buddha and Jataka stories are created all over the island," he said.
"Religious groups, neighbourhood groups, associations and societies provide free alms to people. These include lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks, ice creams, and various other dry food items.
"Apart from that, the creativity and connectivity of the close relationship with nature and humankind is emphasised during this period."
About 100 Sri Lankan families are part of the Albury Wodonga Sri Lankan Buddhist Association, which was founded in 2012.
The United Nations recognises the day of Vesak internationally as the most significant day for Buddhists all over the world.
Beau Greenway
Beau Greenway is a journalist at The Border Mail. He likes to tell the stories of great people in our communities. Email: beau.greenway@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Beau Greenway is a journalist at The Border Mail. He likes to tell the stories of great people in our communities. Email: beau.greenway@austcommunitymedia.com.au
