Huge Vesak celebrations took place over the weekend(Image: Liverpool Echo)

Hundreds gather to celebrate special Sri Lankan festival in Croxteth

by · Liverpool Echo

These incredible pictures show the celebrations which took place over the last three days

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Hundreds of people gathered in Liverpool this weekend to celebrate Vesak, one of the most important dates in the calendar for the Sri Lankan community. Devotees from all over the country met for three days at the Sri Sambuddha Viharaya temple in Croxteth to mark the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha.

Colourful lanterns and traditional decorations decked out the temple while hundreds of people gathered to watch a huge Buddha be lit up with 40,000 bulbs. People were dressed in traditional white and began each day with prayers. A choir sang to the crowds and people ate delicious food as part of the huge celebrations.

These fab pictures below taken by our ECHO photographer Iain Watts show the incredible celebrations which took place.

  1. A huge Vesak Pandal tribute lit with 40,000 bulbs
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  2. Illuminated Vesak decorations at Sri Sambuddha Viharaya temple in Croxteth
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  3. Children serving ice creams to celebrate Vesak
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  4. Free food is given out during Vesak
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  5. Nethuki, 11, who designed the Vesak pandal, the incredible illuminated display behind he
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  1. Big smiles as food is given out to celebrate
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  2. People enjoying Vesak
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  3. The rain didn't dampen the celebrations
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  4. More people enjoying Vesak
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  5. The illuminated decorations look amazing
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  1. A choir singing at Sri Sambuddha Viharaya temple in Croxteth
    11 of 25(Image: Liverpool Echo)
  2. Children speaking to the crowds
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  3. Child watching through the window
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  4. More children speak as the celebrations continue
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  5. Crowds gathered as the celebrations took place
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  1. The choir singing
    16 of 25(Image: Liverpool Echo)
  2. Buddhist devotees celebrating Vesak
    17 of 25(Image: Liverpool Echo)
  3. Sri Sambuddha Viharaya temple in Croxteth
    18 of 25(Image: Liverpool Echo)
  4. Vesak is the holiest day in the calendar for the Sri Lankan community
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  5. Flowers being given
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  1. People praying during the celebrations
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  2. Prayers started every morning
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  3. Buddhist monks praying
    23 of 25(Image: Liverpool Echo)
  4. Children praying
    24 of 25(Image: Liverpool Echo)
  5. Sri Sambuddha Viharaya temple in Croxteth
    25 of 25(Image: Liverpool Echo)