It is a full moon in Sri Lanka, and that means one thing: “Poya”.
Poya is a religious and national holiday, a Buddhist practice that celebrates every full moon, a time for Sri Lanka’s Buddhists to flock to temple under the bright moon light…
That said, Sri Lanka has a multi-cultural, multi-religious population and therefore it is not only a monthly opportunity for reflection and family time for Buddhists, but also for all non-Buddhist Sri Lankans: Hindus, Christians and Muslims.
We are in Colombo for meetings for Ben’s work, and find ourselves in a capital city that has ground to a halt. There are virtually no cars on the normally traffic-jammed city streets. All businesses are closed for Poya Day.
We make our way to one of Colombo’s large parks.
The lawns are full of families enjoying a pleasant late afternoon together in the park.
Almost all the families in the park are Muslim, as they have no obligation to prepare for Poya Day which is celebrated by the Buddhist population. It is unusual for us to see women in their head to toe black “niqab”s throwing a ball to each other, or tossing a badminton overhead, to much laughter.
Westerners have been so conditioned (for the most part) by the media, to equate Muslim practices with fear, that they seldom “have the courage” to stop and initiate conversation. We embrace the opportunity for this kind of cultural interface and it takes little time before Peta is engaged in conversation with a family.
Enjoying an ice cream in the park, with badminton balls flying overhead in all directions.
In Sri Lanka there is color everywhere.. even the usually conservative Muslim dress can be colorful and not just black.
Small booths line the pathway of the park. Some of them are selling balls and toys and a few have food offerings as well.
A Sri Lankan classic street food snack: chickpeas with chopped coconut and chili.
Nothing like water jets in the park on a hot day. Children are cool in the hot sun and entertained…
~ ~
This particular full moon/”Poya” is not a regular once a month Poya celebration, it is Poson Poya.
Poson is the second most significant Poya celebration in the Buddhist calendar. Poson celebrates the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC ~ a festival of great historical and religious significance celebrated island-wide by Buddhists. Poson, held on the full moon day in June, commemorates the occasion over 2,000 years ago when Arahat Mahinda, son of Emperor Asoka of India, converted King Devanampiyatissa to Buddhism.
In Poson, many temples are filled with devotees and pilgrims all over Sri Lanka to mark this important event. The devout, clad (mostly) in white, make their way to the temple, to spend the next twenty four hours in quiet contemplation.
Gangaramaya Temple is a large temple complex in the middle of Colombo. Inside the temple, there are larger than life sculptures of Buddha lining the walls. Tonight, the temple and surrounding courtyards are full.
Kneeling near the feet of Buddha, these devotees give a scale to the large sculptures of Lord Buddha.
Gangaramaya temple serves not only as a place of Buddhist worship; it is also a centre of learning. (The temple is involved in Buddhist welfare work including a vocational school and an orphanage.) 
Three dimensional characters spring forth from the colorful wall murals.
Buddhist worshippers place flowers at Buddha’s feet, to show their respect.
Rows of stalls outside the temple sell flowers, particularly lotus flowers, for worshippers going to temple.
The courtyard around the bodhi tree is abuzz. The bodhi tree is a central element of Buddhist temples, as it was under a bodhi tree that Siddhartha reached enlightenment after meditating for a very long time.
A small fire is aglow in front of the stupa. Worshippers use this to light their incense sticks.
The scent of incense fills the air, as more and more people light their incense sticks .
I took a few classes in Buddhism in college (nearly earned a minor in comparative religions and wished I had) but couldn’t grasp its essence. Your posts about Buddhism are always interesting as you highlight what was missing in the classes – the human element. I could never add people into what we were studying – Siddhartha seemed so distant from the corporeal world. I find it hopeful that even those who are not Buddhist find ways of enjoying Poya. Appears to be a common respect in Sri Lanka lacking in much of the rest of the world. How many languages do each of you speak – besides Kindness?
BTW – again I didn’t get notification of your newest blog post in my inbox from your blog host – hasn’t happened for months. I appreciated when you, Peta, sent personal notices but that must be a pain to do.
Shari, you make a very interesting point, that course work about religion tends to focus either on the philosophy or the historical key events that are important to that religion. Yet, understanding how that religion is practiced currently adds a real life dimension that is easier to relate to for many. Being a majority Buddhist country, it follows that other religions will by default enjoy the holidays, just like non Christians enjoy the break that comes around Christmas or Easter.
I wish your comments about common respect could be confirmed as a broad based practice in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately it is a mixed record. In our immediate area of Fort Galle, we can attest that there is surprising and welcome harmony between the Buddhist, Muslim and Christian communities. In other part of Sri Lanka, the divide along religious lines and the inability of the communities to relate to each other is more pronounced.
Thanks for the compliment on kindness. When we are in places with no shared language kindness and a large does of gesticulation become our primary language. In terms of actual languages, Ben’s primary languages are: English, French and Spanish, with a residual of Japanese from having lived there for a few years. Peta: English is the primary language, with a smattering of Spanish, Hebrew (from living in Israel as a child for 2 years) and some lingering expressions in Afrikaans (gasp) that was taught in school in South Africa.
We are still working on getting the blog to send out automatically, but in the meantime I am manually sending out the post…. Hopefully we can resolve the issue soon!
Thanks for your substantive comments, as always.
Ben & Peta
Very informative and interesting as usual! I echo the previous commenter – it does sound a very harmonious celebratiion between the different religions.
Thanks Anabel. Poya is very much a Buddhist celebration. Other religions in Sri Lanka ~ Hindus, Christians and Muslims enjoy the national holiday in the form of a day off from work once a month during the full moon.
Peta
I always learn so much from you thanks to your blog. Just want to give you a clapping thanks for the way you educate us all with such gorgeous photos and commentary. I think I was Buddhist in a previous life. Heck, I think I’m Buddhist in my heart now, even though I was raised Episcopalian. I live in ‘Transcendentalist” country now, and love immersing myself in the philosophies of others, learning how they worship the air/sky/earth they live in. The moon has always had immense significance to me, but I never knew why. Perhaps you have answered my question. Happy Poya. xo
Pamela, the selection of the moon cycle is of course not just a convenient calendar event. There is very much a belief among Buddhists and one that is very much picked up by current day astrologers, that the phase of the moon, the full moon, the new moons, all carry energetic significance.
We of course all know that the moon has a direct impact on the bodies of water (rising tides etc). We also know that human bodies being over 70% water, much like the ocean, we humans are affected by movements of the moon.( Ask anyone working in the emergency room of a hospital and they will readily acknowledge that full moons guarantee a heightened level of traffic in emergency rooms. In short, at a very general level, most would recognize that the moon does impact us humans.)
Buddhists take this very general understanding to a much more granular level. The sensitivity to the impact of the moons cycles to the human experience is very real and palpable in Sri Lanka. Any important event (marriage, signature of contracts etc) gets checked against the lunar calendar for optimal results.
Thanks for the clapping thanks!!
Ben & Peta
This is the first post I’ve received in a LONG while from you Peta and I’m glad to receive this one, for all its wondrous colour! I’ve loved reading many times of the life of the Buddha and all that for which he stood and still stands. May you enjoy the blessed full moon, visible here – the eclipse – on Friday night.
Susan, we have had some issues with our blog, which hopefully will be resolved soon and from now on you should get our posts automatically, as before. If you have not read the posts about our friend Bandu’s untimely death, there is a lot of insight into the Buddhist funeral rites and practices that you may find interesting with regard to current day Buddhist practice.
Thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed this post!
Peta
What a wonderful celebration. I’m sure you enjoyed being part of it. We can always learn from other cultures and beliefs.
Darlene, we do always enjoy Poya. As we watch the moon go from a sliver and gradually fill up until the full moon, when everyone in our neighborhood, head to temple for Poya. We enjoyed being in Colombo for this important Poya, and experiencing it in the large Gangaramaya temple in Colombo.
Peta
Wow, looks like a beautiful ceremony and day in the park. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Ez, nice to know you reading us. We often think of you chanting Tibetan Buddhist prayers in Thailand ~ different branch of Buddhism for sure, but still Buddhism. nonetheless. Maybe one day we can take you to the Buddhist temple in our neighborhood!
B&P
xoxo
Peta,
Not only are your pictures and explanations a wonderful education for someone “homebound” like me but I find your answers (Ben’s too) to the comments really informative. Yours is one of the few blog where I read all the comments and replies.
I know how time consuming each post can be but your time is well spent.
P.S. Here’s my time -gift to you: no need to respond to my comment!
Haha Judith you are the best! Always a pleasure to respond to comments as it gives us a “window” into the aspect of our blog posts which resonate with various readers. We view the comments as our “tips” for a job well done! So thank you to you for your enthusiastic feedback. Great to read that the comments and responses add to the overall blog post!
Peta & Ben
Beautiful post. Thank you,
Xxoo Sharon
Thanks Sharon ~ for reading us and letting us know you enjoyed it.
xoxo
P
I always learn so much from your posts! I had no knowledge of this Buddhist celebration, or what it meant before I read your blog. And the photos enhance your words….Thank you so much for sharing!
It is particularly fun to us Ann, when the geography or cultures we ourselves are immersed in, and learning about every day, resonate with readers and introduce them to something new! Thanks for the compliment!
Ben
You have so beautifully captured the air of celebration for both Buddhists and the other religions who are enjoying a festive day off during Poya! Sometimes I feel we (I guess I mean westerners in a general sense) are so disassociated with natural forces like the moon; it’s so refreshing to see that there are places and people still very much in tune with these phenomena.
Lex that is an interesting and accurate observation you make. Everyone watches the moon carefully in Sri Lanka and as it gets fuller, the air gets full of anticipation of the upcoming Poya day.
Peta
Sometimes I wonder what the world would be like if unbiased comparative religious studies were required while growing up, much the same as grammar or basic math. What if a religion was not implicitly ordained by your parents; if you picked your religion or lack thereof without interference, only after several years of study? Would there be more harmony between religions due to better understanding, or would people just revert to tribalism after making their selection?
Dave, that is a great question! It is true that there is not a whole lot of “religion hopping” and you make an excellent point about the inherent tolerance that would come from non judgmental exposure to multiple religions. Of course in a small country like Sri Lanka, island based no less, there is an almost inevitable exposure to other’s religions as a result of every day interaction. And this proximity does not always play out to the positive.
There are many potential areas for conflict, so just to point out one that is easy to grasp. Muslims don’t eat pork. Hindu’s don’t eat beef. Muslims eat beef. In India, in the past few months, there has been a surge in Hindu fundamentalist vigilantes performing “traffic checks” on trucks in India suspected of “cow transport”. The violence against muslims by these vigilantes is off the charts. Bottom line: They know each other and understand each other’s religions well enough to know that they are not liking some core aspects of these religious, ethnic or cultural practices of “the other”…
Ben
Wonderful post!! I’ve been fascinated with Buddhism for some time now and really enjoyed reading the post and the comments/answers. The pictures are fabulous!!
Thanks Stephanae, glad you enjoyed this post and the photos so much.
Peta
wonderful photos
Thanks Tanja
Thanks for sharing this festival with us.
De nada.
How nice to see people of different beliefs spending time enjoying each other’s company and having fun together.
Carol, interestingly the two communities are in this case divided between the Buddhists who are attending temple for the full moon, and the Muslims who are congregating in the park (taking advantage of having a national holiday).
Peta
Wonderful to learn about the celebration but most of all I love watching Peta so easily interacting with the families. Role modeling kindness and acceptance wherever you go. The word inspirational is likely overused but true and genuine for the two of you.
Thanks Sue for this superlative compliment ~ one which means a lot to us both. We do our best to role model one on one cross cultural exchange. We have only found good to come out of being open to being friendly and interacting with people from different cultures.
Interestingly we were just in Morocco with our oldest son, who asked about the difference between the various coverings that Muslim women wear across various Muslim communities around the world. I then made a point of speaking to the next Muslim women that crossed my path, at the harbor, to role model that “people are people” no matter whether their faces are covered by fabric or not.
Peta & Ben
Sri Lanka is a beautiful place to travel and you shared amazing photographs which have you captured. I really glad to read your post it’s really interesting. Thank you so much for sharing this post with us.
Sri Lanka IS a beautiful place to travel to. We have been living here for almost two years now. Glad you enjoyed reading this post. Welcome to Green Global Trek.
Peta
I always learn so much from your posts. I may not get to Sri Lanka so I very much appreciate your views and photos.
Thanks LuAnn for your enthusiasm. We do hope that through our blogging we contribute to spreading the good word about our current home base country.
Ben
You always tread with warmth, kindness and acceptance. Something rare enough in our world. We only seem to get excited by our moon when there is a phenomenon like the recent ‘red’ one. That particular evening the heavens were resounding with crashes and bangs and the most spectacular lightning and the moon was in hiding. 🙂 🙂 We did need the rain though.
Thanks Johanna for your complimentary feedback. We are certainly more aware of the cycle of the moon now that we live in Sri Lanka, just because everyone is more attuned to it and where its at. As we notice it starting to get full, we always know that “soon it will be Poya”.
Ben
Peta,
what are you talking to the Muslim women about? I’d be SO interested. I’ve seen them covered from head to toe in London and often wondered, WHY? Are they hot? Do they want to wear this?
I must be educated!
Fabulous photos?
Any new pets for you guys? xxx
Kim, I really appreciate your interest and question re the Muslim women.
In this case, we were just chatting about our families and they were interested in where we live and how we like living in Sri Lanka. I spoke to them the same as I would speak to anyone I don’t know by making small talk.. just being friendly.
I have in the past asked young (16 years old) Muslim women waiting at a bus stop, here in Sri Lanka, questions about their hijabs. They told me that they are not forced to wear them by anyone ~ in fact they found the question quite funny ~ and that they choose to wear the face covering hijab (with small slit for eyes) because it is all a question of modesty. They enjoy the anonymity they gain from wearing their hijabs. These girls were all students studying medicine and welcomed conversation with me.
No they do not feel hot in their hijabs. (Witness people who live in the desert in extreme heat, the way that they keep cool is to be covered from head to toe to keep the sun off.) All what one is used to I guess.
The best way to get educated about Muslim women is simply to start a conversation. Some Muslim women I met on a beach here told me I was the first foreigner that had ever spoken to them before.
We find the Muslim community in Sri Lanka to be extremely warm and friendly and they really welcome conversation with us.
(Not looking for new pets as we are away a lot, but animals tend to find US… so we shall see)
xoxo
Peta & Ben
I love the assortment of photos and the contrasts between celebrations. Your picnic in the park photos remind me a lot of Iran. We were in Iran for New Year’s (2015) and the entire country celebrates in full fashion for 2 weeks and on the last day, EVERYONE finds a spot of green space (literally anywhere they can find it) and the entire family spends the day/evening outside sharing food, family and fun. It’s really quite something to experience.
Patti, interesting you should bring up your Iran experience, as Iran is at the top of our list of “would love to go to” countries. Did you go on an American passport?
Thanks for the nice compliments on the photos.
Peta
Hi Peta ~
We have 9 posts from our time in Iran. You can find them in the Categories “Iran.” I’m happy to talk about specifics, i.e. passports and such privately through email. 🙂 I hope you do make it to Iran one day, it is fascinating. ~ Patti
Thanks Patti, we will definitely check those out and will email you re passports etc.
We would both LOVE to go there!
Peta
I love learning about these full moon festivals that happen all over the world and seem to be even more special in Asian countries. I guess the incredible light that emanates from a full moon in itself is a great cause for celebration?
Peta, you and Ben are masters of immersing yourselves in the local culture, I salute you for that. True world explorers 🙂
Thank you for such complimentary comments Gilda. We do strive to engage with locals wherever we go as we see it as such a richer experience for ourselves.
Ben
A full moon is definitely cause for celebration, and how wonderful to see such an important holiday set aside for one. There is something so magical about that light that orbits around our little planet.
Hear hear J.D. These comments could make you an honorary Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) Buddhist!
Ben
This is one of those photojournalistic features that is both informative and entertaining. I loved Shari’s question about the language of kindness. It is a universally recognized one and isn’t that hard to use. I wonder why it is expressed more, but I’m glad to know there are people like you and Ben to spread it around 💕
The festival of Poya resonates with me. To celebrate the full moon as a period of reflection, mediation, or even just family time makes a lot of sense. As J.D. said, there is something very magical about that glowing ball in the sky 🙂
What a fantastic time to be in the capital, with larger than life celebrations, as opposed to being in rural Sri Lanka. Although I’m sure the celebrations are worthwhile witnessing and participating in everywhere Buddhism is prevalent.
I’ve always loved full moons, and during my second one-year of backpacking in SE Asia, I even remembered events based on which full moon, where, with whom and how I spent it. 🙂 The only negative of a full moon is the absence of stars in that fantastic night sky.
Your images are making me long to be back in Sri Lanka. We only scratched the surface of the place during our time there so I am blessed to have your reportage to return me to the things that I loved and show me those I sadly missed. We tended to stay aboard Amandla in Trinco during Poyas because The Captain abhors crowds, but I would have loved to be in the thick of it!
Lisa I am sorry you missed Poya in Sri Lanka. Interestingly, I hate crowds too but the crowd at Poya is very manageable as most people are very quiet and tranquil as they arrive with their offerings for Buddha. You will just have to come back!!!
Peta