Lunar New Year is an ancient annual festival for Thai, Burmese, Sri Lankan, Laotian, Cambodian, Nepalese and Indian people. On this occasion, which falls on 13th, 14th, and 15th April, various cultural and religious celebrations are held to mark the New Year. For the Buddhist, this is also the time to make merits in dedication to their departed relatives and to ask for forgiveness and blessing from their parents, grandparents and elders. To mark the occasion this year, the Oxford Buddha Vihara will be holding a merit making and blessing ceremony for the local Buddhist community at Tingewick Hall. We would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to cordially invite you, your family and friends to join us in starting off the New Year with merits and blessings. Food for the monks may be contributed, which will subsequently be shared among the devotees. There will also be the opportunity to buy food, the proceeds from which will be donated to the temple.