Sri Lanka's National Poson Week begins

Tags: Festivals International News

In Sri Lanka, the National Poson Week began on 31 May.

An overview of the news

• The Posan festival will be held till June 6 and will be centered around the holy city of Mihinthalaya, Thanthirimalaya and Anuradhapura.

• The festival celebrates the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in 236 BCE by Arhat Mahinda, the son of Emperor Ashoka.

• A large number of devotees are expected to visit Anuradhapura for the festival this year and steps have been taken to provide all facilities to the devotees.

• Due to economic crisis and lockdown in the last few years the festival could not be celebrated on a large scale.

• Apart from this, the traffic police have implemented a special traffic plan to make travel easier in Anuradhapura.

About Poson Festival

• Posan, also known as Poson Poya, is an annual festival held by Sri Lankan Buddhists celebrating the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE.

• The festival is the most important Poya (full moon) holiday of the year and the second most important Buddhist holiday of the year.

• Posan is celebrated throughout the island, with Anuradhapura and Mihintale holding the most important celebrations of the festival.

• The festival is held in early June, coinciding with the June full moon.