15th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Light my fire

A major festival in the Buddhist calendar, Vesak celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha. Borobudur is a central meeting point for Buddhists from all over Indonesia. I was lucky enough to witness this spectacular event at Borobudur. Processions are led and festivities take place through the day, and, at night, thousands of lanterns are lit and released into the starry sky. The scene is magical.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2016
Date Uploaded: 09.2017
Photo Location: Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia
Camera: NIKON D610
Copyright: © Sirsendu Gayen