Poya

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For the town in New Caledonia, see Poya, New Caledonia.

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Poya or Poya Day is a Buddhist holy day, observed as a public holiday in Sri Lanka, that falls on the day of the full moon. Full moon day is important to Buddhists all around the world. The Buddhists have adopted the Lunar Calendar for their religious observances. Owing to the moon's fullness of size as well as its effulgence, the full-moon day is treated as the most auspicious of the four lunar phases and thus marked by a holiday.

Every full moon day is known as a Poya in Sinhala; this is when a practicing Buddhist visits the Temple for the rituals of worship. There are 12 Poyas for a year. The term poya is derived from the Pali and Sanskrit form uposatha (from upa + vas: to fast) primarily signifying "fast day". Generally shops in Sri Lanka are shut on Poya Days, and the sale of alcohol is forbidden.