The Month "May" Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's political parties were holding May Day rallies on Saturday for the first time since the ending of nearly four decades of ethnic bloodshed.

Nearly a dozen meetings were scheduled in the capital and suburbs, but labour day celebrations by opposition parties were low-key following their drubbing in two major elections this year.

Previous May Day celebrations in Sri Lanka had been marred by attacks blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels, who were militarily crushed by security forces last year after 37 years of guerrilla war.

Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels launched a suicide bomb attack in 1993 during a ruling party May Day rally and assassinated then president.

Opposition officials said their celebrations this year were muted as supporters recover from crushing defeats at the January presidential elections and last month's parliamentary polls won by current President ruling the party.

May is one of the special months for Buddhists..This is one of the major festivals in Sri Lanka. It is celebrated on the first full moon day of the month of May[citation needed]. People engage in religious observances and decorate houses and streets with candles and specially made lanterns.

Vesak Day is one of the biggest days of the year in the Buddhist calendar and is celebrated by Buddhists all over the world. The day marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha and is a day of great celebrations. It is traditional to clean the home and decorate it in preparation for the celebrations which begin before dawn and continue throughout the day with religious services, prayer meetings, meditation sessions and processions.