Poson Festival Celebrated in June – A Revered Day for Buddhists

Celebrated on the full moon day in June, the Poson Festival is important for Buddhist devotees in Sri Lanka since it commemorates the arrival of Buddhism to the country in the third century BC; more than 2,000 years ago the son of Emperor Asoka in India, Arahat Mahinda, converted the then Sri Lankan monarch, King Devanampiya Tissa to Buddhism. Much of the celebrations are centred in Mihintale near Anuradhapura where Arahat Mahinda is believed to have preached his initial sermon.

This year, the Poson Festival fell on 16th June and was marked by religious observances and ceremonies. Apart from Mihintale, other areas in the island home to Buddhist temples also drew in devotees. One such key local temple is the Kalutara Chaitya; this sacred site that’s located close to Anantara Kalutara Resort and other such well-placed hotels in Kalutara is one of the temples where Poson day traditions were followed.