Prabarana Purnima is one of the highest religious festivals of the Buddhist community. Ashwini Purnima comes after three months of monsoon fasting from Asadhi Purnima. The Marma community calls this religious festival 'Mahawagye Poye' i.e. Prabarana Purnima. Buddhists celebrate the festival on the full moon day of Ashwin month every year. Various preparations are going on in Bandarban around this festival. But due to the recent incident in Rangamati and Khagrachari, Prabarana Purnima festival will be celebrated in the hills on a limited scale. As a result, there is no festive mood in this year's Prabarana Purnima, even though there is a lot of joy every year.
Around Prabarana Purnima, there is no festive atmosphere in the temples of various Buddhist communities in Bandarban. Pitha making and Fanus are made in limited form. Also, the chariot ride "Pankhi Raj" has been made as the main attraction. This chariot ride cannot be enjoyed even if it circumnavigates the entire city. And to increase the level of the event, colorful ghosts are being made. Keeping the full moon in front of the Viharas of every neighborhood, cleanliness is going on. The celebration councils took the decision considering the situation in the hilly areas.
According to Buddhists, Prabarana Purnima is a special festival of Buddhists, also known as Ashwini Purnima. The root of the argument is that 'at the end of the rainy season, the monks reveal their faults to other monks and call for their atonement, even if they have committed an offense unintentionally.' In addition, Prince Siddhartha Gautama Buddha cut his hair and threw it into the sky after taking monastic vows. Later, as it is preserved in Chulamani Chai in heaven, Buddhists celebrate Prabarana Purnima festival by lighting lanterns in honor of Chulamani.
Prabarana celebration council committees said, considering the situation of the hill, one of the festivals of Buddhists, Prabarana Purnima or Maha: Vagyye Poye: will be celebrated on a limited scale this time. Like every year, there will be no festive atmosphere this year. Committees will not be made by the parties. Again only 25 lanterns will be flown in the sky for Chulamani purpose. In today’s afternoons, a chariot will be drawn from Chhota Raja grounds for the purpose of Arhat Upagupta Buddha to Rajguru Vihar and brought back to Punara at the same time. On the last day, October 18, Prabarana Purnima will be concluded by pulling the chariot from Old Chhota Raja's grounds and circumambulating the city and floating it in the Sangu River at Ujani Para Kheyaghat.
Chariots are being built in the grounds of the old Rajbari Chhota Raja. Imaginary ghosts are being made beside the chariot. This year's attraction is "Bird Raj". Artisans are spending their time making colors. Others are busy making imaginary ghosts out of paper and bamboo cane. Cleanliness work is going on in Bihar. Men and women teams are clearing the bushes around Bihar. Lanterns are being made in Dharmadeshana premises in Bihar. However, lanterns will not be flown in villages or neighborhoods except the central one. On the other hand, the shopping spree has fallen in the local markets and markets. People of all ages including young and old and men and women of the Buddhist community buy various types of clothes including lungis and thamis to show off their culture. Lantern and Chariot Makers Anchaiyu and Uhai Marma said, like every year, lanterns and Chariots have been made this year as well. Lanterns will be flown on a limited scale due to the unstable conditions of the hills and will conclude with a float in the Sangu river between the Rath Yatra and the afternoon.
Bandarban festival celebration committee president Angchamang Marma said that like every year, this year too, various programs have been undertaken on Prabarana Purnima. 17th and 18th will be completed by pulling the chariot for two days in the afternoon, crossing the upper Sangu river. However, considering the situation in the hills, Prabarana Purnima celebration will be celebrated in a limited form this time. Bandarban Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Abdul Karim said security has been ensured around the Prabarana Purnima festival of Buddhists. Civil dress police and mobile court teams will be on patrol. The police administration is on high alert to avoid any untoward incident and it is hoped that the Prabarana Purnima festival will end in a solemn manner.
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