Every full moon day — Poya — is a sacred day for Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Many people visit the temple, offer flowers and lamps, listen to Dhamma talks and observe the eight precepts (aṭasil). Here are this year’s Poya days, calculated automatically.
| Poya | Date | Full moon (SL time) |
|---|---|---|
| Duruthu දුරුතු | Saturday, 3 January 2026 | 15:34 |
| Navam නවම් | Monday, 2 February 2026 | 03:41 |
| Medin මැදින් | Tuesday, 3 March 2026 | 17:09 |
| Bak බක් | Thursday, 2 April 2026 | 07:43 |
| Vesak වෙසක් | Friday, 1 May 2026 | 22:55 |
| Adhi Poson අධි පොසොන් | Sunday, 31 May 2026 | 14:17 |
| Poson පොසොන් | Tuesday, 30 June 2026 | 05:28 |
| Esala ඇසළ | Wednesday, 29 July 2026 | 20:07 |
| Nikini නිකිණි | Friday, 28 August 2026 | 09:49 |
| Binara බිනර | Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 22:20 |
| Vap වප් | Monday, 26 October 2026 | 09:42 |
| Il ඉල් | Tuesday, 24 November 2026 | 20:25 |
| Unduvap උඳුවප් | Thursday, 24 December 2026 | 06:59 |
Calculated astronomically for Sri Lanka time. Official Poya holidays can occasionally fall one day earlier or later — please confirm with the government calendar.
What each Poya remembers
According to Sri Lankan tradition:
- Duruthu — the Buddha’s first visit to Sri Lanka, at Mahiyangana.
- Navam — the appointment of the two chief disciples, Sāriputta and Moggallāna.
- Medin — the Buddha’s visit to his home city of Kapilavatthu.
- Bak — the Buddha’s second visit to Sri Lanka, at Nāgadīpa.
- Vesak — the birth, enlightenment and passing away (parinibbāna) of the Buddha.
- Poson — the arrival of Arahant Mahinda, who brought the Dhamma to Sri Lanka.
- Esala — the first sermon, and the start of the rains retreat (vassa).
- Nikini — the First Buddhist Council.
- Binara — the founding of the order of nuns (bhikkhunī sāsana).
- Vap — the end of the rains retreat and the start of the Kaṭhina season.
- Il — the sending out of the first sixty arahants to teach.
- Unduvap — the arrival of Sanghamittā Therī with a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi.