The full moon day of the month of May marks three most important events in Buddhism the Birth, the enlightenment and the Death of Buddha. This triple event is called the “Vesak Festival”. Each house and garden is beautifully decorated with hand-made lanterns together with paper decorations. In the evening hours countless numbers of people come to Colombo to admire illuminated Pandols describing in pictures Buddha’s life.

In temples, Buddhists worship, offer flowers, light lamps and burn incense. On this holy day, the "Dahna" (Alms giving) plays an important role. Every devotee gives alms to people. This is a sign of sharing joy and peace with the people. On the roadside, temporary erected booths serve traditional food and drinks free of charge to the endless crowds. It would appear that the whole city celebrates all night long, as the streets are full of smiling people dressed in their best clothes wishing each other well on this sacred night. The unforgettable experience of the glory of Vesak consolidates people's faith in both a religion and tradition they have cherished for centuries.