A day at the temple

Clad in a simple white dress with a ‘sil redda’ – a shawl thrown over one’s shoulders, the devotee makes his way to the temple before sunrise.  He carries a ‘pirith pota’, a small mat and a bottle of water. He goes to the temple to observe ‘ata sil’ – pledging to follow eight precepts for the next 24 hours on this thrice-blessed day. Vesak commemorates the birth, enlightenment and the passing away of the Buddha.