Buddha Purnima alias Buddha Mahotsav or Buddha Jayanti is a unique Buddhist festival held at Sarnath to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha, who is believed to be the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It falls on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Vaisakh (April/May). The main attraction of the festival is the procession carried out by taking remnants of Buddha.

During the festive day, the Buddhist monks gather at the various Buddhist temples at Sarnath, wearing white clothes and spent the whole day in the temple offering prayers, sermons, meditation and recitation of the scriptures. Fruits, flowers, candles etc. are offered  to the statues of Lord Buddha. Their houses were decorated with papers and cloths illustrating stories from Jatakas. On this day, they abstain from taking meat and eat kheer ( rice cooked in milk and sugar ) and they share it with the poor and invite monks to their house.

Besides the religious ceremonies, various cultural programmes like craft bazars, seminars and exhibitions are also conducted for more than three days.