Buddha Purnima
Birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of the Buddha — all on the same Vaishakha Purnima.
Gregorian date
30 April 2026
Thursday
Tithi
Shukla Purnima
Vaishakha (April – May)
Duration
single-day
Also known as
Vesak · Buddha Jayanti
Significance
Hindus revere the Buddha as the ninth avatar of Vishnu. The day commemorates three major events of his life — birth, enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, and parinirvana — said to have all occurred on Vaishakha Purnima.
What happens on the day
- •Visit Bodhi-tree temples
- •Donate food / clothes to the poor
- •Light lamps in the evening
- •Read Buddha's Dhammapada or Bhagavad Gita's Krishna-Buddha-comparison
About the month of Vaishakhaवैशाख
Sacred to Vishnu. Hosts Akshaya Tritiya (an unending-prosperity day) and Buddha Purnima. Considered an auspicious month for weddings.
More festivals in Vaishakha
Bohag Bihu
14 April 2026 · Sun enters Aries (solar — Mesha Sankranti)
Assamese New Year — 7 days of Bihu dance, husori, and the start of spring.
Vishu
14 April 2026 · Sun enters Aries (solar — Mesha Sankranti)
Kerala New Year — Vishukkani at first sight, kaineetam coins for blessings.
Puthandu
14 April 2026 · Sun enters Aries (solar — Mesha Sankranti)
Tamil New Year — Maangai-Pachadi at sunrise.
Pana Sankranti
14 April 2026 · Sun enters Aries (solar — not lunar tithi)
Odia New Year — sun crosses into Aries (Mesha).