Vesak is the main Buddhist religious festival in Sri Lanka. This Colourful festival commemorates the three most important milestones in the life of Gautama Buddha – His birth, enlightenment and passing away into Nirvana. Temples get filled with devotees and pilgrims all over the country and Buddhists worship, offer flowers, light lamps and burn incense to mark this great event. The decorations that light the country on this day must surely make an aerial view of the country to look like one water drop illuminated by spiritual glow. Dansal or alms-giving stalls offer anything from soft drinks, ice cream, coffee, rice and curry to noodles and fruit salad, all free of charge. Pandols are illuminated by hundreds of coloured blinking lights. Vesak is known as the festival of light, a very appropriate name since almost all the decorations are in the form of illuminations.