Manatee County residents Neela and Gopi Chari will join their guests in celebration of Buddha at the Unity Church of Sarasota on Saturday. GRANT JEFFERIES/Bradenton Herald

gjefferies@Bradenton.com

MANATEE -- Manatee County's Gopi and Neela Chari, who just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, offer a suggestion to others who wish to match their marriage's longevity.

Seek enlightenment together, they say.

"My guru said if your wife doesn't support you in spiritual matters you might as well wait until your next life," Gobi Chari said with a smile this afternoon.

The Charis, then, are both excited about the birthday party they have organized Saturday for Siddhartha Guatama Buddha, the famous Indian teacher of spiritualism whose name means "awakened one" or "enlightened one."

Buddha would be roughly 2,556 years old this month.

"It will be a cultural event," Neela Chari said of the party, which will also celebrate divine love and divine life.

The event, which is open to the public with a $10 donation requested, is set for 4-6 p.m. Saturday at Unity Church of Sarasota, 3023 Proctor Road, Sarasota.

The Charis promise a parade of Buddhist monks, meditation, chanting, guest speakers from other faiths, a talk about Buddha, dancing, music and, as is custom on Buddha's birthday, the bathing of small statues of Buddha.

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Birthday party for Buddha promises to be unique cultural event