Maghi Purnima Buddhist festival, held on the day of the full moon in Magh, commemorating the day on which gautam buddha announced his impending death. It is said that there was an earthquake as soon as he pronounced this event. Buddhists believe that the earth was shaken this way when Buddha was born, when he received enlightenment, and when he died.

Buddha's words made his followers sad. He told them, 'Death is inevitable, so it is not proper to grieve over it. You should practice religion with conviction; only then will you conquer sorrow by crossing over this world of birth, infirmity, disease and death'. In other words, the significance of this day is to develop inner strength and acquire power to overcome all sorrow.

The day has special significance for the religious and social life of Buddhists. There are religious ceremonies at the viharas, where prayers are said to the Buddha and offerings made to the viksus. Fairs are organised at Buddhist villages of Bangladesh, especially in the Buddhist villages and viharas of the Chittagong region, among them, the mela of Buda Gonsai of Thegorepuni village (Patiya), Parinirban mela of Binajuri village (Raozan), Buddha mela of Lathichari village (Raozan), Shakyamuni mela of Abdullahpur village (Hathazari) and Aryamitra Mahaparinirban mela (Raozan). [Sukomal Barua]