AGARTALA, May 21 (TIWN): Along with the nation Buddha Purnima was celebrated with devotion and tranquility on Saturday at almost all the Buddha temple of the state.

The birth of Lord Buddha is widely celebrated as Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima. It is to be mentioned here that Siddhartha Gautam transformed into 'Gautam Buddha' by denouncing the worldly pleasures and embracing   spirituality, seeking real enlightenment of the soul.

Buddhism followers usually celebrate this day as the most important festival in the year.

It is celebrated in many Asian and foreign lands too, such as Cambodia, Japan, China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines and Australia, Canada, USA to name a few, however in different ways may be.

In India, on this day Buddhists start their celebration by paying a visit to common Viharas, where they observe a longer-than-usual, full-length Buddhist sutra, similar to a service.

Dressed usually in white attire, on this day non-vegetarian food is not consumed.

Instead, people make Kheer, and distribute it as legend has that a woman named Sujata had offered Gautama Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.

Buddha Purnima is considered thrice sacred day since it marks the birth, enlightenment and mahanirvana of the Buddha. As history says that the Buddha was born in Lumbini in present day Nepal, he attained self-realization in Bodhgaya in Bihar and finally attained mahanirvana in Kushinagar.