Photo blog: Buddha bathing for self-purification

The bathing of Buddha ritual is practiced annually around the world on his birthday.

Legend has it that when Prince Siddhartha was born many auspicious signs surrounded his birth including brilliant skies, blooming flowers and singing birds of a spectacular sort.

It appears that dragons appeared in the sky and gently sprayed two streams of purified water over him.

Since then, Buddhists all over the world practice the bathing of the Buddha ceremony using fragrant water as a powerful symbolism of self-purification.

The recent Buddha bathing ceremony was seen practiced at the Hua Yan Temple in Johor Bharu. Almost 2,000 devotees attended the week long celebration.