Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Holidays


List of holidays
January
Tuesday
Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day (In honour of Lord Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka)
*†#
January

Tamil Thai Pongal Day
*†#
4 February
Monday
National Day
*†#
February

Navam Full Moon Poya Day (The Buddha proclaims for the first time a code of fundamental ethical precepts for the monks)
*†#
March
Thursday
Maha Sivarathri Day
*†
March
Thursday
Milad-Un-Nabi (Muhammad's birthday)
*†
March

Medin Full Moon Poya Day (Commemorates the visit of The Buddha to his home to preach to his father King Suddhodana and other relatives)
*†#
March
Friday
Good Friday
*†
13 April

Day prior to Sinhala and Tamil New Year Day (the month of Bak) when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries) Sri Lankans begin celebrating their National New Year)
*†#
14 April

Sinhala and Tamil New Year Day
*†#
April
Friday
Additional Bank Holiday
April

Bak Full Moon Poya Day (commemorates the second visit of The Buddha to Sri Lanka)
*†#
1 May
Thursday
May Day
*†#
May

Vesak Full Moon Poya Day (The Buddhist calendar begins)
*†#
May

Day following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day
*†#
June

Poson Full Moon Poya Day (Commemorates the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka)
*†#
July

Esala Full Moon Poya Day (Commemorates the deliverance of the first sermon to the five ascetics and setting in motion the Wheel of the Dhamma by Buddha)
*†#
August

Nikini Full Moon Poya Day (conducting of the first Dhamma Sangayana (Convocation)by Buddha)
*†#
September

Binara Full Moon Poya Day (Commemorates The Buddha's visit to heaven to preach to his mother and celestial multitude)
*†#
October
Wednesday
Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramazan Festival Day)
*†
October

Vap Full Moon Poya Day (King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka sending envoys to King Asoka requesting him to send his daughter Arahat Sanghamitta Theri to Sri Lanka to establish the Bhikkhuni Sasana (Order of Nuns))
*†#
October
Monday
Deepavali Festival Day
*†
November

Il Full Moon Poya Day (Celebrates the obtaining of Vivarana (the assurance of becoming a Buddha))
*†#
December
Tuesday
Id-Ul-Adha (Hajj Festival Day)
*†
December
Monday
Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day (Sanghamitta Theri established the Bhikkhuni Sasana (the Order of Nuns))
*†#
24 December
Friday
Christmas Eve
*†#
25 December
Saturday
Christmas Day
*†#
* Public holiday, † Bank holiday, # Mercantile holiday All full-moon days are Buddhist holidays referred to as Poya. The actual date on which a particular Poya day will fall changes every year.

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