"Wan Chai"(the day of offering)
On this day, apart from preparing new clothes to wear, people will make desserts to offer to monks and to give to friends and relatives. This act of generosity is also a way to show off each family’s cooking skills.
Well-to-do families will make a large amount of desserts to give away to others. In the past it was not possible to buy desserts since everyone made their own. Nowadays, some Thais follow western traditions by buying and giving cakes to others, as it is more convenient to do so rather than cooking.
Offering food to monks
On the dawn of the first day of the incoming year, people will prepare the best varieties of food to offer to monks. They will also dress up in their best attire. After giving alms to monks, the monks will eat the offered food in the temple hall. People will then go home after the monks have finished their meal.
Making Sand Pagodas
There is no specific date for making sand pagodas. It can be done on any day close to Songkran in the temple grounds or on a riverbank. People in Kamphaeng Phet province also make offerings to monks on a riverbank. People in Nakhon Si Thammarat build their sand pagodas twice; first in a temple on the last day of the outgoing year, and then in the grounds of their houses on the first day of the incoming year. The sand used for building pagodas is often taken from a riverbank.
Releasing birds and fish
This tradition began a long time ago and it is normally done during the Songkran Festival. Before the festival, the weather is usually very warm and there is not enough water in ponds and rivers for fish to stay; as a result, people will go out to catch fish in dry ponds. Small fish which cannot be eaten will be kept at home until Songkran when there is more water, and then they will be released back to their natural habitat. This tradition has evolved over time and is widely practiced nowadays. At present, in addition to fish, people also free birds as an act of merit-making.
Bangsukun Atthi
Apart from releasing birds and fish, there is also a ritual performed by monks to the remains of the deceased in order to pass on merit to them. This ritual is known as Bangsukun Atthi. It will be performed once during the Songkran Festival on any of the three days. In the past, Thais did not bring the ashes of the deceased back home, but the remains were buried under the Bodhi tree in a temple and monks would be invited to perform the ritual there.
This ritual is believed to be local and is not influenced by Indian traditions because the Indians usually discard ashes in a water source, especially into the Ganges River. In some areas in Thailand, people also perform a rite to worship guardian spirits of the village and town. In Central Thailand, household chores such as gathering firewood and fetching water are prohibited during Songkran, and these chores must be done beforehand.
Song Nam, Rot Nam, and Sat Nam
To bathe a Buddha image, people will first make an offering of flowers, candles, and incense sticks to the image. Then they will sprinkle lustral water signifying bathing onto the image as a gesture of respect. A procession of the Buddha image will be made prior to the bathing. After that people will also bathe a Buddhist monk, usually the abbot, by pouring lustral water over him. The abbot will change into a new robe offered to him by laymen, and then he will give a sermon and bless the people who attend these bathing rituals. Besides, people will also call on elders and respected people to ask for their blessings.
After that, people will play by splashing water at one another. A feast in the temple grounds will follow. Traditional desserts will be served there.
The Songkran Festival is very much related to water, since people believe that water splashing will induce abundant rainfall in the incoming year. Water is also a symbol of fertility and is used to clean bad things. As a result, water is used widely in different ceremonies and rites of passage.
Rod Nam Dam Hua
People in Northwest Thailand conduct the bathingritual to the elders and respected ones on New Year’s Day. Apart from flowers, candles, incense sticks, and new clothes, betel nuts, Acacia water, and traditional perfume are also part of the gifts presented. Betel nut is a symbol of respect and hospitality. In the old days, Acacia water was used as soap. Once the elders receive the gifts, they will sprinkle the Acacia water and the perfume on top of the younger family members’ heads to give them blessings.
Nowadays, some people still bring their new clothes and personal belongings along with other ritual objects; such as, banana, sugarcane, and jackfruit leaves, to the temple so that Buddhist monks can sprinkle them with holy water in order to purify the clothes. These clothes and objects will be kept untouched for days for auspiciousness.
Deriving from the Sanskrit language, the word “Songkran” means to pass or to move into. In this context, the meaning implies to the passing and the moving of the sun, the moon and the other planets into one of the zodiacal orbits. And the Grand Songkran Festival which falls in Aries indicates the new era of the Thai New Year. Owing to the ancient Indian belief, the Grand Songkran Festival is most appropriate to be the Thai New Year due to the timing of the best season which is known as the spring of India which comes right after the cold season of winter. Also, there are other aspects supporting this belief such as blooming flowers, the fresh atmosphere of nature and the livelihood of all living creatures.
With the great influence from the Indians, the Songkran Festival portrays the typical ways of life of the Thais which involve the agricultural aspects. Free from their regular routine work, the Thai citizens will find time to perform their annual rites of showing respect to their ancestors. The highlight of the festival will include the younger Thais paying respect to their elders by sprinkling their hands with scented water. And in order to welcome the New Year, the celebration will include the delightful colourful local entertainment, which in fact, suitably unites the mutual relationship between members of the family, society, nature and the surroundings. Therefore, this Songkran Festival has proved to be the most important and grandest festival of the year. Moreover, our neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR. have also organised this type of festival.
During the Sukhothai period, the Songkran Festival was practised both in the royal court palace and among the ordinary citizens. However, the size of the celebration was not as elaborate as of today. Back in those days, civil servants and other government officials would pay homage to the king, and would drink the oath of allegiance to the king or the government, while the king would provide an annual salary to all officials. Later on in the Ayutthaya period, the festival was expanded by including the bathing of the Buddha image. Also, the festivities would include the forming of sand pagodas and entertaining celebrations. In the Rattanakosin period, the rituals have been conducted in a similar pattern as those during the Ayutthaya period.
Phuket Vegetarian Festival : 28 September - 07 October 2008
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival is an annual event held during the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the vegetarian festival and its accompanying sacred rituals bestow good fortune upon those who religiously observe this rite. During this time, local residents of Chinese ancestry strictly observe a 10-day vegetarian or vegan diet for the purposes of spiritual cleansing and merit-making. Sacred rituals are performed at various Chinese shrines and temples and aesthetic displays such as walking barefooted over hot coals and ascending ladders with bladed rungs are performed by entranced devotees known as "Ma Song".
Phuket's Vegetarian festival (or jia chai in local Hokkien Chinese dialect) began in 1825, when the govenor of Thalang, Praya Jerm, moved the island's principal town from Ta Reua in Thalang District to Get-Hoe in Kathu District, where were tin mines and Chinese miners. Kathu was then still covered by jungle and fever was rife. It happened that a traveling opera company (called ngiu in Thai or pua-hee in Hokkien dialect) came from China to perform for the miners
When the whole company grew sick from an unnamed malady, they kept to a vegetarian diet to honor two of the emperor gods, Kiew Ong Tai Teh and Yok Ong Sone Teh. The sickness afflicting the opera troupe then disappeared. This greatly interested the people of Kathu, who asked how it was done. The answer came that ritual vegetarianism with its attendant ceremonies had been the cause, with the result that people embraced the faith enthusiastically. Thus the festival began:starting the first evening of the ninth lunar month, it continued until the ninth evening; the aim was to bring good luck to individuals as well as to the community.
It later happened that one familiar with the festival volunteered to return to Kansai, in China, where he invited the sacred Hiao Ho-le or Hiao lan (incense smoke) and Lian Tui (name plaques), which have the status of gods, to come stay in Kathu. He also brought holy writings used in the ceremonies, returning to Phuket on the seventh night of the ninth month. The people, upon hearing of his arrival, went in procession to Bang Niao Pier to bring him and his sacred cargo back. This was the origin of the processions that figure so greatly in the festival.
The afternoon before the festival begins, a great pole at each temple is raised, called the Go Teng pole, with which the gods are invited to descend. At midnight the pole is hung with nine lanterns, signalizing the opening of the fest. Two important gods are also invited down at midnight to preside over ceremonies; these are Yok Ong Hong Tae and Kiew Ong Tai Tae.
Aside from this, there are other ceremonies throughout the fest, notably: invocation of the gods Lam Tao, who keeps track of the living, and Pak Tao, who keeps track of the dead; processions of the gods' images; and feats of the Ma Song-like bathing in hot oil, bladed ladder climbing and fire-walking. The festival ends with merit making ceremonies at each temple (sadoh kroh) and the send-off of the gods on the last night (when fireworks are at their most impressive).
Ma Song, or entranced horses, are devotees whom the gods enter during the fest. They manifest supernatural powers and perform self-tortures in order to shift evil from individuals onto themselves, and to bring the community good luck. Ma Song fall into two categories: those who, having had an intimation of impending doom, want to extend their lives; and people specially chosen by the gods for their moral qualities.
Throughout the festival fireworks and drums are sounded, especially during ceremonies. It is held that the louder they are the better, because the noise drives away evil spirits.
Participants in the fest keep to a strict vegetarian diet for a varying number of days, usually no less than three. This they do to make themselves strong in mind and body; they refrain from all vice, eating animal flesh, and killing animals. The festival thus promotes good hygiene, brightness and inner peace.
10 RULES FOR THE VEGETARIAN FESTIVAL
1. Cleanliness of bodies during the festival |
2. Clean kitchen utensils and to use them seperately from other who do not join the festival |
3. Wear white during the festival |
4. Behave physically and mentally |
5. No meat eating |
6. No sex |
7. No alcoholic drinks |
8. People at mourning period should not attend the festival |
9. Pragnant ladies should not watch any ritual |
10. Ladies with period should not attend the ritual Source: www.phuketvegetarian.com |
