These rituals are the reason of banning of the festival in some oriental countries meanwhile in Penang and other regions of Malaysia the festival is still celebrated every year. The main holiday according to the Buddhist calendar is the Wesak Day. It is celebrated according to the lunar calendar that is why a date of its celebration varies each year. The custom of this day is visiting Buddha temples and making donations and sacrificial offerings.
The holiday is followed by another interesting custom. Local folks let thousands of pigeons free of cages. Flying skyward the pigeons symbolize Buddha on the way to nirvana. During a holiday week monks and priests of all Buddha temples tell visitors about life of Buddha. Central streets of the city witness bright marches and performances. At nightfall paper lanterns are installed at every temple of the city being the main symbols of enlightenment coming to our world.
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