The Monk's Elephant Procession (Thailand Local Custom)

The Monk's Elephant Procession
(Thailand Local Custom at Sukhothai)

The Elephant Procession Ordination in Sri Satchanalai

     The monks to be riding elephants , known as "The Elephant Procession Ordination" is an old ceremony celebrating the ordainment of monks of the Thai Puan tribe in Ban Had Siew, Sri Sachanalai District, Sukhothai .

       It is a tradition that all Thai Puan men must serve in the priesthood for at least 7 days. Thus, the day for riding the elephants and the ordainment are held on April 7th and the 8th respectively of each year. This means the monks leave the priesthood on April 15th, or “Paya Wan" day which is a very auspicious day for the Thai people, since it is the original Thai New Year Day.

Note: The monks to be are called "Naga" in Thai.

The monks to be’s traditional attire

      In the morning, the young men of the village who are to be ordained will have their hair and eyebrows shaved, take a bath and be dressed by their parents and relatives. They will wear long sleeved white shirts and Pa Muang (a Thai sarong worn by men), which are deemed to be sacred attire. Although the clothes are costly, they will be cast off the next morning, symbolizing that to enter the priesthood is to leave material possessions behind.

     Nowadays, the clothes are more colorful, representing the temporary nature of desire. Likewise, they will be thrown off, to free the monks from all worldly concerns. The silver buttons decorating the costumes may be 8 ,12 or 32 in number and refer to many duties they take while they are laymen . The colors of the shirts also represent their various occupations.

     On their heads, the young men wear a "headdress ", adapted from the costume worn by the god’ lndra, which frames their faces with a tail at the back. In their hands they hold a circular  representation  of  the  sacred  Naga snake  and devotional   items flowers,  joss   sticks  and  candles . The circular Naga's head is known as "Sakkatjang '', which means "with respect" to show that although monks in the Buddhist era came from different classes and castes, they all assume the common trait of "humility" upon entering the priesthood.

Elephants Bringing The Monk to His Destination

     In olden times, elephants were one of the most important beasts of war. In times of peace, elephants worked in the forest hauling the logs. Thus, they became the only large animal to forge an especially close relationship with man.

     Elephants are the preferred mode of transportation for the Thai Puan people's ordination ceremony, since the ritual is based upon the tale of "Phra Vessandara Chadok" one of the Lord Buddha's former incarnations. The story relates that the Siphee people became upset when Phra Vessandara bestowed an elephant named "Pajjai Naken" upon a Brahman holy man from Kalingkarat city. Phra Vessandara therefore left the city to live in the forest. When the city folk later came to understand his good intentions and forgave him, their King Sanchai arranged a procession of specially selected elephants to accompany Phra Vessandara back to the city.

     Therefore, riding elephants in this ceremony serves to remind us of not only of the procession colorful history, but also the true meaning of Dhamma as well.

The Diving Buddha (Thailand Local Custom)

The Diving Buddha (Thailand Local Custom at Phetchabun)
The Holy Barge of Phra Buddha Maha Dhammaraja

     The ceremony of the diving a Buddha image in a river in Phetchabun is held once a year. The festival usually takes place on the 1 5th day of the 1Oth waning moon. It is an old ceremony that has been observed continuously for many years. It allows the Governor of Phetchabun to show his sacrifice to the people. Traditionally, the Governor was the only person deemed suitable to bear the sacred Buddha image and dive with it into the river. According to tradition, whenever the Governor did not fulfill this duty, the crops became barren that year and the image would mysteriously disappear.

     The Buddha image known as "Phra Buddha Maha Dhammaraja" is a focus of worship for the people of Phetchabun. It is also the proud symbol of the province. The image sits in the crossed leg meditation posture , in the style of the Lop Buri school of Khmer-influenced art. The image is dressed with royal diadems and carved with a wide face and nose, his long ears touching the shoulders. The ancient Khmer who once ruled over Lop Buri had the image cast from bronze; its height is 18 inches and the lap is 13 inches wide. The image originally resided in Sukhothai, before being moved to its present abode at Tri Bhumi Temple, Petcharat Rd., Tambol Nai Muang, Muang District, Phetchabun Province.


The Procession of Phra Buddha Maha Dhammaraja Image

    According to folklore, a group of villagers went fishing in the Pasak River one day. After trying all day long, but catching nothing, they took a rest at Wang Makham Fab near the river bank. Suddenly, a giant whirlpool formed the normally quiet river. A Buddha then emerged from the middle of whirlpool. The villagers believed it to be a sacred omen and brought the image back with them to Tri Bhumi temple. The following year, the Buddha image disappeared from the temple. Monks and others tried to look for the image. To their astonishment, they found the image floating in the river at the very first point from where it had emerged. Ever since, the people have held a ceremony each year to mark the event.

Phra Buddha Maha  Dhammaraja  is  a  priceless treasure. It is kept in a safe place and guarded. Every year, the image is brought out into public, to allow the people to pay their respects, apply gold leaf on the image and pour water over its hands.

     On the day of the procession, the Governor of Phetchabun places the image on a dais to be paraded along the roads. It is an opportunity for the people to have a close look at the revered image. The Buddha image is followed by a parade of the government agencies dressed as ancient troops, and a procession of elephants and horses.


The Diving Ceremony

     On the third day, a holy barge awaits on the waters of the Pasak River. After offering breakfast to the monks, the Governor places the image on a throne, which is moved to the vessel. The procession is accompanied by senior officers and monks. The actual ceremony is held at the spot where the image was first discovered.

     The Governor begins by bearing the image in his hands facing south, praying for peace and wealth. Then he dives with the image into the river thrice. He then turns to face North and repeats the process once again.

When the ceremony is over, the people of Phetchabun, young and old alike, will play in the river and drink its water, believing it to be sacred. Some search for the gold leaf that has peeled off the Buddha image, and bring it back home as an object of worship.

The Cremation of The Lord Buddha's Effigy (Thailand Local Custom)

The Cremation of The Lord Buddha's Effigy
(Thailand Local Custom at Uttaradit)

An effigy of the Buddha's body

     On week after the anniversary of the death of the Lord Buddha, is Attamee Puja Day, corresponding to the 8th day of the 6th waning moon. In Lublae district of Uttaradit province, "The Cremation of the Lord Buddha" is held. In this ceremony, the villagers create an effigy of the Lord Buddha from bamboo, woven in a sleeping posture measuring about 9 cubits long. The effigy is covered with papier-mache and dressed in yellow robes. The effigy's face is created from plaster of Paris. The body is then laid in a glass coffin. An elegant crematorium is also specially built for the occasion.

     This cremation has been a tradition for over 1 00 years. It was created by  Luang  Phor  Maen, the first  khmer  abbot of Phra Borom Dhatu Tung Yang temple. The event was discontinued after the second World War, due to the poor economic situation.

     In 1968, a chief of Ban Tung Yang, revived the tradition. With the support of the people of Lublae district and other agencies, it has since become a well-known national event.

The Jong Para (Thailand Local Custom)

The Jong Para / The Monk's Temple
(Thailand Local Custom at Mae Hong Son)

The Jong Para : a welcome for the Lord Buddha's return to earth

       Having been to see his mother in heaven for 3 months, the Lord Buddha comes  back to the earth at dawn , on the next day after the Buddhist Lent.

      All Tai people (one of the Northern tribes in Mae Hong Son) hold this day as being the most important ,so they gladly prepare a welcome for the Lord Buddha. A beautiful wooden castle is built as a worldly abode for the Buddha, which also serves to make merit for the Tais' ancestors . It is an opportunity for the tribe to unite and preserve their religion for all time. The breathtaking castle is fashioned from bamboo and decorated with colorful papers, and finely crafted gold leaf fretting. The work showcases the unique Tai craftsmanship and is named "Jong Para", meaning "the monk's temple".

A parade that crosses the river and wades through fire (Thailand Local Custom)

A PARADE THAT CROSSES THE RIVER AND WADES THROUGH FIRE (Thailand Local Custom at Pattani) .





Chao Mae Lim Ko Niew's palanquin crossing the river
   
   Leng Xu Giang shrine is the abode of the Goddess Chao Mae Lim Ko Niew. The shrine is located on Norhu Road, Muang District of Pattani Province. Each year on the full moon of the 3rd Lunar month (15 days after Chinese New Year), a grand celebration is held to honor her. People from all over who respect and believe in the Goddess gather to pay homage.
    In the reign of King Rama V, a leader of the Chinese community named Phra Jeen Kananurak commissioned a Chinese craftsman to make a statue of the Goddess Chao Mae Lim Ko Niew from mango wood. At the same time, the Leng Xu Giang shrine was built. The reputation of Goddess gradually spread and became a focus of worship for the people of Pattani, other neighboring towns and even visitors from other Asian countries.

Illuminated Boat Procession. (Thailand Local Custom)

Illuminated Boat Procession (Local Custom) at Nakhon Phanom.

Illuminated Boat Procession (Local Custom) at Nakhon Phanom

Illuminated Boat on The Mae Khong River

          "Illuminated Boat Procession" is in fact the same ceremony as the Loy Krathong festival in other regions of Thailand. It is organised annually to mark the end of Buddhist Lent in Nakhon Phanom as a world famous festival.

           The festival has its roots in the legend of Phra Dhatu Phanom , known as the tale of Urangka Dhatu. The story has it that the Lord Buddha travelled to the banks of the Numthanathee River , abode of the magical 5-headed Naga snake. The Naga invited the Buddha to visit his underwater world. Upon his return, the Naga asked the Buddha to leave his footprint on the river bank. To this day, the Buddha's Footprint is an important place of pilgrimage and worship. The people in Nakhon Phanom then organised the illuminated boat festival on the end of Lent every year.

Colorful Celebrations at Phra Dhatu Phanom

       In 1983, the Nakhon Phanom municipal committee reintroduced the Illuminated Boat Procession. They persuaded government agencies, businessmen and citizens to submit the lit boats for a competition.

       Four years later, the Governor organised the Phra Dhatu Phanom festival on the occasion of the end of Lent. The governor at that time, presided over the ceremony, which enjoyed excellent attendance.

       At that function, dances performed by descendents from many tribes in the Nakhon Phanom area were unveiled, such as the Kotaburana dance handed down from the ancient Sri Kotaburana Empire (use only actresses). Other dances were displayed by native tribes, including the Poo Tai of Renoo Nakhon District, with gestures inspired by animals; the Yor tribe in their colorful costumes; the Saek and their lively "Saek Ten Sak" (The Bamboo Dance); and the Soh in their "Tung Bung" set the exciting grand finale.

        That first festival featured over 100 talented performers, which spread the renown of the ceremony into the popular attraction it has become today.

Phi Khon Pang Khone (Thailand Local Custom)

Phi Khon Pang Khone (Thailand Local Custom)

The Phi Khone Ghosts

      On the full moon of the fourth lunar month, villagers in Ban Hai Yang, Pang Khone District, Sakon Nakhon Province hold a great sermon know as the Boon Phra Wet or Mahachat Sermon, an important merit ceremony for all Buddhists. The people of Hai Yang, add a special touch which stands out from other Buddhists-the Phi Khan Ghost Parade.

Phi Khon Pang Khone - Sakon Nakhon Local Custom

       Several  days  before the fair,  the  Phi Khan  masked ghosts will make their way , singing catchy folk songs to invite townspeople to the ceremony.

Phi Ta Khon Festival (Thailand Local Custom)

Phi Ta Khon Fastival - Loei (Thailand Local Custom)

Phi Ta Khon

Phra  Dhatu  Sri  Songrak,  Dan  Sai  District, Loei

              
                Phra Dhatu Sri Songrak in Dan Sai district , Loei province is an important place of pilgrimage in Thailand , housing relics of the Lord Buddha. It is host to an annual celebration on the  full moon of the 6th Lunar  month. After the merit making is completed , people propitiate the local guardian Saints , Chao Phor Guan and Chao Mae Nang Tiem at Hor Luang , Hor Noi.

              Traditionally, a date for the accompanying Boon Phra Wet ceremonies or mahachat sermon is determined by Chao Phor Guan's spirit communicating via a medium and includes the renowned   Phi Ta Khan festival.

                  Phi Ta Khan is a native performance of  folk  art. Most of the  performers  are  young  boys  and teenagers , who  dress up as different kinds of grotesque ghosts. The creative outfits are made from old rags, mosquito nets , bedding or even torn blankets. Each "ghost  wears a mask fashioned out of a bamboo steamer. The  bamboo  is   bound with   coconut  stalks to form a hat; painted with oil colors; punched with eye holes ; and as  a finishing  touch,  a  long nose like an  elephant's trunk or  bat wings  is added.

Note: Phra Dhatu is the relics of the Lord Buddha.


The  Phra Uppakutra Procession at Phone Chai Temple

          The Boon Phra Wet is an important holy festival held annually in the Northeast, lasting 3 days. Before dawn of the first day, Chao  Phor Guan's disciples invite Phra Uppakutra on the banks of the Man River to protect them from danger and bestow good luck. They offer knives, pikes and regal umbrellas together with a tray of flowers, joss sticks and candles.

        Phra Uppakutra was  a powerful  patriarch  born after the time of the Buddha. He resided on a jewelled throne in a jewelled  castle made of precious stones located in the ocean.

           When the disciples  arrive at the  river bank, the river symbolizes the wide ocean. One of the disciples will recite an incantation while another will dive into the river to retrieve a rock and ask "Is this  Phra Uppakutra?"

           Those on the river bank answer "No, it isn't."  The diver repeats his question again, only to receive the same answer.

             By the third time the answer returned is, "Yes, this is the real Phra Uppakutra."

            The rock is then placed on a pedestal tray and brought back to Phra Uppakutra hall, to be laid next to the chapel of Phone Chai temple. The villagers circle the chapel clockwise 3 times as a salutation . When the ceremony  is over, guns are fired, firecrackers lighted and the people  celebrate joyfully.

Discarding ghostly costumes into the river

               On the second day of festivities, there is a procession led by the Buddha image. The image is followed by 4 monks borne on a litter, in turn followed by Chao Par Guan gracefully atop a fire rocket.  The  procession  is brought  up by Chao Mae Nang Tiem and her disciples. Their destination is Pone Chai temple.

                 The procession circumambulates clockwise round the chapel  thrice.  Next,  the  stage  is  set  for  a  fight  between 2 factions of the masked Phi Ta Khan "ghosts", representing Dhamma and A-Dhamma (Virtue and Evil), making for thrilling viewing for the local audience. As always, Virtue emerges the winner.

                Before sunset, the end of the Phi Ta Khan performance is marked  by  throwing  away  the  ghostly  costumes  into the Man River. This is a symbolic act to represent discarding sorrow and bad luck into the river of no return.

               The elders of Dan Sai villagers are most reluctant to allow the used ghost costumes into their homes. If it is truly necessary to do so, permission must be sought from the Phra DhatuSri Songrak (Relics of the Lord Buddha).

                 Children who perform in the Phi Ta Khan 3 consecutive years are considered to have  become fully-fledged genuine Dan Sai folk.

POI SANG LONG (Thailand Local Custom)

Sanf Long 1

Sanf Long2

Sanf Long3

Sanf Long4

Sanf Long5

POI SANG LONG (Thailand Local Custom)

Poi Sang Long (Mae Hong Son)

Young boys are made-up 

       The ordainm.ent of young boys or the "Poi Sang Long Ceremony" as it is called  in the  Northern Tai  dialect,  is held for boys who enter the priesthood at a very young age. It is believed that parents who ordain  their  own  sons  as  novices will obtain 8 aeons of merit. If they arrange an ordainment for other people's sons, they will receive only 4 aeons of merit. These parents are  referred to as "Phor Sang & Mae Sang " (fathers  and  mothers  of  ordained  children).

       The ordainment of a novice is a very important event for the Tais. They believe that children are  innocent and pure as a clear glass ball. When they become novices, they emerge even cleaner. Hence the reason why they call the ceremony "the ordainment of an innocent child" .

       The ceremony is organized for children between the ages of 1 0 to 14 years old, who are usually students. An auspicious time for the ceremony is April , as it is the summer holidays. The duration of the ceremony is from 3 to 7 days, depending on the status of the host. However the core process can be completed in only 3 days.

        On the first day, the parents will accompany their children to  the local temple. After shaving their hair, their female relatives will help them make-up and dress nicely.

PROCESSION OF THE SAINTS (Thailand Local Custom)

Procession Of The Saints - Vegetarian Festival (Practice Vegetarianism)

Fire-walking to burn away the body's evils
    The procession saints' effigies around town forms part of the Vegetarian Festival (Practice vegetarianism) of Muang District in the Southern Province of Trang . It is held between the 1st-9th of the tenth month of the Chinese calendar. During the Festival , people will refrain from eating all meat and strongly flavored vegetables. All they eat are simple vegetables and fresh fruits, as a way of purifying t heir minds; it is also a useful way of getting rid of toxins from consuming meat over the years. This sacrifice bestows good luck on practitioners, since its symbolizes their respect of the ancient zodiac and their ancestors . The ceremony in the South is held annually in the ninth month. It is totally different from   the ceremony  held in  Bangkok,  since  it  is  a  grand  festival  combining  old traditions, religion, cultures and astrology . Even Chinese visitors have commented Trangs celebrations are the equal of any in China ! Thus, this festival is not simple as expected due to the strict and complicate regulations.


The Procession of the mediums
     In Trang there are 2 revered Saints: Kiew Ong Hud Joe and Muen Ram. Every year they are alternately paraded in a procession around the town, blessing the villagers. The rite may be slight ly different.
     The procession led by mediums who  communicate with the spirits. They will show the power of god or goddess by torturing their own bodies. It means the god admit human's pain and difficulty. Surprisingly, t he mediums do not  show any feeling of pain.
     The  procession  passes  along  the  roads, bestowingpeace on the people. A parade consists of 50 litters , but only 2  main ones  "Tua  Rian"  are  beautifully  decorated.  These are the vehicles  for  the  Saint  Kiew Ong  Hud Joe  and the Goddess Bhothisat Kuan lm.
     The parade boasts a multitude of colorful flags, displaying the names of the Gods on them. They are followed by believers dressed in white , bearing and holding joss sticks in their hands. The midday sun on their white costumes reflects light in all directions , shining bright as the light of Dhamma  (Buddhist  teaching).

The Big Bang
      Mediums who communicate with spirits show the power of their faith by piercing sharp weapons through their cheeks. Amazingly, not one drop of blood is seen ! The mediums walk back and forth , some brandishing their  weapons. They are followed by respected men holding brushes, ink and holy water basins. When they pass by the tables set up in front of the people's houses , they will enter inside to give their blessing and determine if there may be any evil spirits or bad luck lurking inside. If that is indeed the case , holy water will be sprinkled to chase the evil spirits away. Magic tokens are also given to the house-owners , to be papered onto favorable positions . In some hou r s, the holy men will choose some fruits, bless them and present them to the family to eat. Some mediums who come later will give only magic tokens to the house owners .
        As a highlight of the ceremony , the people of Trang literally celebrate with a big bang , using firecrackers .    
        Firecrackers  are one of the  marvels created  by the ancient Chinese, used in many ceremonies and festivals . The original urpose/of firecrackers was to scare away evils and welcome pm perity. They are also a favorite amusement of the Gods, so the more the firecrackers , the longer the gods will be tempted to stay.

The Buffalo Race at Chonburi (Thailand Local Custom)

The Buffalo Race at Chonburi (Thailand Local Custom)







Beautifully Dressed Buffalo
       Several years ago, life in rural Thailand was not easy. There were no convenient roads for cars, and the common mode of transport were carts used by traders. When they arrived in towns, the popular rest area was a community close to the market, where selling and buying took place.
      On the day before the full moon of the 1 1 th Lunar month, people would stop working and begin preparing for the celebrations. Cows and buffaloes were also given the day-off in appreciation of their hard work over the months. It was a time to rest! Villagers would dress up their buffaloes in colorful clothes and eye-catching accessories.
      Men would exchange their normal dark farmer's clothes for the colorful "Yee Kae" costumes; put diamond bands on their foreheads and powder their faces. Gradually the ritual became the buffalo fancy dress competition. There were 2 categories: beautiful buffaloes and funny buffaloes.
        With the coming of the end of Lent, a buffalo racing event was held in Chonburi Province. Whether or not they have any business there, people flocked to Ta Kwian market. The temple was the racing track venue and quickly  became crowded with buffaloes and spectators.

Chinese Lion and Chinese Dragon Dance Thailand - Chinese New Year ((Thailand Local Custom))

Thailand Celebrates the Chinese New Year (Thailand Local Custom)

                     Chinese New Year brings one of the most exhilarating celebrations to favourite location of Thailand at Nakhon Sawan, Phuket, Suphanburi, Chiang Mai and Yaowaraj (Chinatown of Bangkok)

The Chinese Lion in action  
     The tradition observed by all Chinese on Chinese New Year is to pay respect to their Gods. They will also visit their senior relatives to seek their blessing. Smiling faces, sweet words and forgiveness are seen throughout that day.
      The smell of joss sticks and the candle smoke billows in the air. The bands play noisily along the roads, wishing all the houses wealth and good luck in the coming New Year. The familiar Chinese lion performance consists of 7 members: the first performer leading at the head carries a tray of red paper tokens, followed by 4 musicians playing gongs, a cymbal and a drum respectively. They are brought up by 2 men who control the movements of the lion : one holds the lion head, while the other holds its tail. All performers must be neat and clean. They wrap bands called "Ka Giew" around their legs covering their ankles to their knees. And also bands wrap around their waists. Before the show begins, the performers will pay respects to their teacher, just as Thai classical dancers do, with a big fluffy dough cake as an offering. The bigger the better. It will be eaten afterwards to give them courage when they perform