What is the religious significance of a Poya Day in Sri Lanka?

A Poya Day is when the full moon happens every month, and it is treated as a public, bank, and mercantile holiday meant only for Buddhist observances, not really anything else. In Buddhist lore, it is said that the big turning points in the life of the Buddha, meaning his birth, his awakening, and his passing away, all happened on full moon days.

On these Poya Days, practising Buddhists wear white, then move to temples from early morning to nightfall, for meditation, for fasting, and to listen carefully to sermons. For visitors, the quickest change most people notice is that the sale of alcohol plus raw meat is strictly prohibited across the country. That means bars shut down, and even high-end international hotels will not serve alcoholic drinks in public spaces during the full 24-hour period.