Classic Sweet Recipes to Celebrate the Serenity of Buddha Day

Do you ever get the feeling that some festivals require quiet instead of din? Buddha Day is one of them. Also referred to as Buddha Purnima, it's being celebrated on 12 May this year. This day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha, all said to have taken place on the full moon of Vaishakha month. In India, particularly in states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, the day is celebrated with subdued prayer, pilgrimages to Bodhi trees, visits to temples, and food to match the mood—pure, simple, and sattvic.

There's no blaring music, no ostentatious celebrations. Even the food is sparse. No onion, no garlic, and sometimes no rich spices. What you do have, however, are neat, traditional sweets. They're light on the belly, prepared from what's readily available, and presented more as offerings than luxury.

This is a wonderful time to return to our origins. Whether you are fasting, keeping quiet, or celebrating with family, these traditional sweets for Buddha Day keep things in harmony with the mood of the day.

Here are 7 traditional vegetarian recipes that you can make using simple ingredients and a peaceful mind.

Sabudana Kheer

Prepared from soaked sago pearls, this kheer is a staple dessert on fasting days. Light, refreshing, and easy to digest, it takes only full-fat milk, soaked sabudana, cardamom, and an all-natural sweetener such as rock sugar or jaggery. Cook gently until the sabudana becomes translucent and the milk gets slightly reduced. Garnish with chopped nuts or omit them for a healthier version.

It's usually served at puja or distributed to monks who come to homes or monasteries. Warm or cold, it doesn't require rich toppings to function. The plainness is what makes it go so well with the serene vibe of Buddha Day.

Moong Dal Payasam

Found on the tables of many Buddhist homes in southern India, moong dal payasam (paruppu payasam) employs roasted yellow moong cooked in coconut milk with jaggery. There is little if any ghee. The dal is dry roasted to yield a nutty flavor, afterwards boiled until mushy before addition to jaggery syrup and coconut milk. The trick is to let it simmer slowly, without rushing. Add a pinch of cardamom and dry ginger powder if you prefer. This dish is typically served during dana (offering) rituals and is valued for being filling but balanced.

Steamed Modak with Coconut-Jaggery Filling

Steamed modaks have traditionally been served to gods, but they're equally appropriate for Buddha Day. They have a nice rice flour casing and a soft coconut-jaggery filling, making them the sort of balanced, sattvic sweet that's appropriate for the occasion. No added colors, no white sugar—simply grated coconut cooked in jaggery, spiced with cardamom, filled within a rice flour dough, and steamed. You can shape them into bite-sized pieces. They are generally served on a banana leaf during offerings and are a staple in Buddhist homes throughout Maharashtra and Goa.

Poha and Banana Ladoo

This is one of the most simple yet popular traditional sweets for Buddha Day in most homes around Bodh Gaya and Sarnath. Flattened rice (poha), smashed banana, a pinch of jaggery, and a pinch of cardamom are the only ingredients you require. Lightly roast the poha, grind it roughly, and combine it with smashed ripe bananas and jaggery. Make small balls and serve at once. There is no cooking to be done after roasting, so it's perfect for a hassle-free offering. These ladoos are soft, naturally sweet, and consist only of ingredients which are deemed sattvic and pure.

Kacha Golla (Raw Paneer Balls)

A Bengali dessert, kacha golla is prepared using fresh curdled milk (chhena), kneaded and sugar powdered or jaggery sweetened. It's not cooked after curdling, unlike rasgulla or sandesh. It's shaped into little balls, usually flavored with cardamom or rose water. This sweet doesn’t last long and is meant to be consumed fresh. Its uncooked quality makes it feel more natural, in tune with the clean, unprocessed mood of the day. Buddhists in Bengal often make it as part of their day-long fasting meals, keeping it light and nutrient-rich.

Sama Rice Phirni

Prepared in periods of fast and sattvic observances, sama rice, also called barnyard millet, is a fast-food cereal served throughout north India. Soaked and grated as a paste and slow-cooked in milk, it's reduced to thickness. Sweetener includes jaggery or rock candy, accompanied with cardamom or nutmeg for milder aroma. Served cold, it is rich in flavor without being heavy. It's gluten-free, grain-free, and easy to digest, so it's perfect for those who are keeping long fasts or rituals on Buddha Day. You can garnish it with edible rose petals or a few chopped dates.

Mung Bean Laddu with Dry Fruit

This is a no-syrup, dry laddu prepared by roasting split green gram and grinding it into a powder. The powder is blended with crushed dry fruits, a pinch of powdered jaggery, and enough ghee to hold together. The flavor relies completely on the roast and proportion of ingredients—no cardamom or added flavors required. These laddus are full of protein and energy, and since they are dry, they remain fresh longer. Ideal to be made ahead and distributed throughout the day among people watching the rituals of Buddha Purnima.