Soft chants, the glow of oil lamps, and the fragrance of fresh flowers marked Buddha Purnima celebrations across Kolkata on Friday morning.
Devotees gathered at temples to honour the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha.
At the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Temple in Dhakuria, the day began with prayers and drumbeats that echoed through the hall. Devotees sat cross-legged, facing an altar adorned with marigolds, fruits and incense.
Offerings, from fruits to flowers, were placed on the altar by devotees
Monks led the prayers, their steady chants creating a calm as visitors bowed their heads in silence.
Across the city at the Mahabodhi Society near College Street, devotees queued up with offerings before statues of Buddha.
The altar, covered in yellow cloth and scattered with blossoms, was the focal point of devotion.
