5 things about Vesak Day that will make you see the long weekend completely differently
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Vesak Day falls on 31 May this year. You probably already knew that because your calendar told you and you immediately started planning the long weekend. Fair enough. But before you fully switch off, here are five things about Vesak that are genuinely worth knowing.
1. This public holiday almost did not exist
After World War II, the Singapore Buddhist Association began petitioning for Vesak Day to be recognised as a public holiday. In 1950, a government select committee reviewed the request and rejected it. Insufficient evidence of public support, they said.
It took another five years, a change of government, and sustained pressure before Vesak Day was finally gazetted as a public holiday in 1955. Even then, the first official celebration in 1956 ended up in a dispute between Buddhist groups over a lunar eclipse on the proposed night. They had to move the date.
So the next time someone complains about a public holiday falling on a Sunday, just know it took six years of petitioning to get the day recognised at all.
2. It is technically three occasions in one
Most holidays mark one thing. Vesak Day marks three: the birth, enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha, all believed to have fallen on the same date in the lunar calendar.
You don’t really have to take it literally to appreciate the poetry of it. A single day holding that much weight. The whole arc of a life, compressed into one full moon. No other public holiday in Singapore quite pulls that off.
(Image: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery)
3. On the eve of Vesak, people spend two hours on their knees at Bright Hill
On the eve of Vesak Day each year, devotees at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery on Bright Hill Road take part in the three-steps-one-bow procession. Three steps forward on both knees. Full prostration. Three steps. Prostration again. For the entire perimeter of the temple compound. The whole thing takes about two hours.
KMSPKS actually pioneered this ritual in Singapore back in 1984 and still holds the longest route in the country. The intention is to purify the three karmas of mind, body and speech simultaneously. The hardship isn’t just part of the ritual. It’s what makes it work. You genuinely cannot think about anything else when your body is doing that.
In a city that has optimised nearly everything for speed, watching thousands of people voluntarily choose the slowest possible way to cross a courtyard is oddly moving. Some devotees reserve their spot in the procession 24 hours in advance. Most of us won’t even wait that patiently for brunch.
4. Releasing birds on Vesak is now discouraged, and what replaced it is better
One traditional Vesak practice is releasing caged birds and animals as an act of compassion. A genuinely lovely idea. The problem is that most domesticated birds released into the wild in Singapore do not survive, and those that do risk upsetting the local ecosystem. The National Parks Board and the Buddhist Fellowship have both advised against it.
What replaced it is more interesting. Blood donation drives, visits to old age homes, food distribution to those in need. Not as dramatic perhaps, but far more grounded. The spirit of Dana simply became more practical.
5. The flowers and candles at the temple are not just decoration
On Vesak Day, worshippers bring offerings of flowers, lit candles and burning incense to lay at the feet of Buddha statues. It looks ceremonial. It is also a lesson.
All three offerings are chosen because they do not last. Flowers wither, candles burn down, incense turns to ash. Each one is a quiet reminder that everything is impermanent. The point is to notice that and actually sit with it.
Who knew flowers could come with subtext and a worldview.
Worth knowing:
Vesak Day is one of the few public holidays in Singapore genuinely open to everyone. You do not have to be Buddhist to visit a temple or observe the processions. Many will be travelling over the long weekend but if you happen to still be in Singapore, the eve of Vesak at Bright Hill is worth seeing at least once.
Happy Vesak Day. Travel safely, rest well, and be kind to someone.
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