Buddhist Devotion

One of the most important dates on the Buddhist calendar, Visakha Bucha Day commemorates the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, all of which took place during the full moon of the sixth lunar month. This year, the auspicious day is celebrated on 18 May nationwide with a public holiday and is a time when people go to the temple to make merit and recommit themselves to the teachings of Buddha. In Chiang Mai, notable celebrations take place at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep on Doi Suthep mountain. The day before Visakha Bucha, hundreds of pilgrims spend the night walking up to the temple located at the top of the mountain in an awe-inspiring act of devotion.