Last Sunday night was different than usual, thousands of lanterns flew across the sky of Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, as part of the celebration of the culmination of the Tri Holy Vesak 2567 BE-2023.
With great enthusiasm, thousands of Buddhists and citizens gathered at Borobudur Temple to celebrate this special moment. They excitedly flew more than 2,000 lanterns, creating a magical atmosphere amidst the majestic monument of Borobudur Temple. A mesmerizing sight in the midst of the solemn Vesak celebration.
This Vesak celebration is expected to be a momentum that can show harmony among religious communities. This was proven by the number of local people and visitors from outside the region who came to witness this event right around Borobudur Temple, showing extraordinary enthusiasm.
"Some are traveling, some are worshipping, and all are full of tolerance," said Ganjar Pranowo, Governor of Central Java, who also attended the celebration.
The lantern flight began with a sacred ceremony in which the parittas of the Buddhist scriptures were solemnly recited. The lanterns were then lit with the Dharma Fire, which was consecrated at Mendut Temple Magelang.
With hopeful prayers, devotees and participants strung together words that echoed, "May all beings be free from all kinds of suffering. May all beings be healthy, happy and prosperous. May all beings be happy. The words were chanted with conviction for a moment before the lanterns were released into the air. Meanwhile, some monks sprinkled holy water on all the devotees present. This holy water was taken from the holy spring Umbul Jumprit in Temanggung, which was consecrated together with the holy Dharma fire at Mendut Temple.
The Lantern Flight Celebration is organized in two time sessions, namely from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm WIB and from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm WIB. Buddhist monks and the general public are invited to participate in this lantern flight by purchasing tickets at prices ranging from IDR 350,000 to IDR 500,000 per lantern. Each lantern can be flown by four people. Interestingly, participants are also required to wear all-white clothes, which creates a beautiful and solemn atmosphere.
Fatmawati, chairperson of the 2567 BE-2023 Vesak Lantern Flight Committee, said that the Vesak celebration is a momentum to commemorate three historical events for Buddhists, starting from the birth of Sidhartha Gautama to the achievement of the hermit Sidhartha Gautama to become the perfect Buddha. In her remarks, Fatmawati invited everyone to control the heart and the self.
"Let us always maintain and increase awareness in controlling our heart and self," she said.
