The Sri Lankan army is currently holding week-long celebrations of the Buddhist holiday Vesak in Jaffna, while the government called on low-key celebrations in the South due to the floods.

Over the past week soldiers could be observed building structures for the festival, before the official opening of the ceremony on Saturday, which started with the reading of Buddhist psalms in Tamil.

"In Jaffna also, Buddha's guidance"

The event, held outside Jaffna University, was attended by the Northern Province governor Reginald Cooray, Buddhist monks, military officials, soldiers, religious dignitaries and locals. Traditional Sinhalese dancers also performed.

Traditional Sinhala dancers performed at the military's Vesak festival in Tamil-dominated Jaffna

Contrary to the extravaganza in Jaffna, the government appealed to the public to observe the holiday in a "low-key" manner, due to the plight of those affected by the recent floods and landslides.

The Buddhist flag was used extensively throughout the start of the festival

“We are talking about people who have lost their families, their homes. They have a long, hard road ahead of them,” Buddhasana Ministry Secretary Wasantha Ekanayake said. His ministry called on the public to refrain from extravagant spending on Vesak celebrations and instead channel such funds for relief efforts, the Sunday Times reported.

The invitation by the military

Soldiers building the stage for the festival