| Celebrated In : Sikkim |
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| In the month of : May or Early June |
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| Religion : Buddhism |
Saga Dawa is the triple blessed day falling on the 15th day of the 4th month of the Tibetan calendar corresponding to the month of either May or June. The day marks the birth of Buddha, his achieving enlightenment and parinirvana or passing away, all falling on the same day. Actually the whole month is considered sacred as he performed five of his twelve deeds – birth, his walking towards the Bodhi tree, his conquering the eight million Maras, his attainment of enlightenment and parinirvana or passing away.
During this day people flock the monasteries offering prayers, lighting incense and butter lamps. In Gangtok a procession of the statue of Buddha and Kangyur texts, containing the teachings of Lord Buddha, are taken from the Tsuklakhang Monastery by monks, students and laity around the town and brought back. People line the streets receiving blessings as the texts are placed on their heads. Similar processions are taken out from the other monasteries and around the villages.
Buddhists observe it as a month of meditation. Karmic efforts performed within this month are believed to multiply 100 million times so good deeds are performed while negative actions abstained from. During this month there is a ban on slaughtering of animals and Buddhists abstain from eating meat.
