This vibrant photograph captures a mesmerizing moment from the traditional Buddhist Lantern Festival, locally known as Fanush Utsab, in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Celebrants gather under the night sky, carefully lighting and releasing sky lanterns—delicate paper balloons illuminated by flames. The warm glow of the lanterns reflects the community’s collective hope for peace, prosperity, and enlightenment.
The Lantern Festival is deeply rooted in the Buddhist heritage of the Barua community in Chittagong, especially around the time of Probarona Purnima, marking the end of the three-month Buddhist Lent. This festival symbolizes the release of worries and the aspiration to spread goodwill and enlightenment.