Seeking shelter from the rain at a quiet temple in Rakhine, I brushed past the Water Lantern Festival

Residents of Maheshkhali Island have diverse beliefs; aside from Hindus and Muslims, there are also many Buddhists from the Rakhine community. At the foot of Adinath Temple is a Buddhist temple known as Rakhine National Temple, noticeable for its golden spire. Compared to its Hindu neighbor, it is much quieter here, with few visitors. The temple features the layered wooden structure typical of Rakhine architecture. Inside, a monk was resting on the floor, a row of Buddha statues sat silently in front, and the golden stupa stood solemnly in the courtyard, not tall but dignified. Another important Buddhist temple on the island was bustling with activity; it seemed like all the Rakhine people on the island had gathered there. Women sat in circles chatting, while the youth were busy preparing for a grand Buddhist festival. This was the largest temple I saw in Cox’s Bazar, with about six or seven various side halls and a large main hall, as well as two golden stupas, one of which was particularly large. The divine light and shadow created by the sunlight leaking through just before a downpour were mesmerizing. A sudden heavy rain disrupted my plans, but an uncle in the temple invited me to take shelter, even offering a stool and pouring a drink, asking if I wanted lunch. However, the Rakhine people present had already finished their meal, so I politely declined out of embarrassment. Taking shelter from the rain was an opportunity to closely observe the Rakhine people's way of life. The temple crowd was busy, and a group of children were diligently pasting very thin paper, which I later realized were parts of a Kongming lantern—they were making numerous, large Kongming lanterns! The Rakhine women, dressed in cloth skirts, chatted animatedly, and the golden stupa in the rain curtain made me question whether I was in the usually noisy Bangladesh. Everything around was too peaceful, too poetic, and people were too focused on what they were doing to spare a glance at me, a strange foreigner. The Rakhine people's silence was not due to inhospitality but their naturally shy nature. Worried about missing the speedboat back to Cox’s Bazar, I left the quiet Rakhine people as soon as the rain stopped. It was only after chatting with people back at the hotel that I learned today was the local Buddhists' Water Lantern Festival, where the main celebration involved releasing Kongming lanterns, their water lanterns. I regretted not staying on Maheshkhali Island to join their festival! Missing this opportunity was truly frustrating.