Thursday, May 15, 2014

  
    VISAKABUCHA CELEBRATIONS IN BAN NGAO

    May 13th was Visaka Bucha Day here in Thailand. The date changes according to 
       the lunar cycle and is figured as the full moon day of the 6th lunar month - usually
       falling in May. The celebration is one of the most important in the annual Buddhist 
       calendar as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha, events 
       which are believed to have occurred on the same day of the same month. 
       Visaka celebrations began in Thailand about 700 years ago during a period 
       of active exchanges of monks from Sri Lanka and Thailand. 

       This years celebration was centered on a That or Chedi located on a hill only a few 
       hundred meters from Lanna Thai Villa. Nineteen villages or muban were invited.
       Preparations began several days in advance with groups of workers clearing the 
       grounds, painting buildings and placing ceremonial flags or tung and placing them 
       along the approaches to the That.  In addition villagers prepared donations and 
       constructed "money trees" to carry the offerings to be presented at the ceremony. 
       Some villages formed dance groups to provide traditional entertainment. Given 
       that the event would draw hundreds of participants who would need to be fed many 
       people cooked food to donate for free distribution as a way of making merit. The
       event began with participants parading to theThat with offerings and tung.  
       Offerings  included flowers, joss sticks and candles all symbolic of lifes 
       impermanence as flowers will wilt and candles and joss sticks will burn out.

       There were several aspects to the days events. One, a saloong nam that or the 
       washing of the That with scented water (nam san poy). A large  container was set up 
       and a pump and hose system would transport water placed into the container to the 
       top of the That where it would drain down over the structure. This activity was symbolic 
       of cleansing bad Karma. Prior to the ceremony day a string had been placed from 
       the principal Buddha image in the prayer hall down and around the entire village 
       with offshoots going to each home which in turn may have been surrounded with 
       the string or perhaps only an offshoot would go into the home's Buddha image. In 
       the prayer hall  an overhead lattice of strings was placed prior to the ceremony. 
       The lattice was also connected to the principal Buddha image. Hanging down 
       from the lattice were strings which could either be draped on the participants 
       shoulders or wrapped around their head. In this way both the village and the
       individual participant could directly receive the blessings from the monks chanting 
       which were to invoke peace and happiness for all concerned. Further merit was 
       gained via the cash and food donations.  Prior to the chanting villagers presented 
       traditional Lanna style dances. Circulating in the crowds during the day were lottery
       ticket sellers hoping to make sales from some o0f the many attendees.The day 
       ended with  lam vong dancing. 

  
THAT NEAR THE RICE FIELD








         
NAGA ON STAIRWAY TO THAT
MAKING TUNG OR CEREMONIAL FLAGS
PUTTING ON THE FINISHING TOUCHES
"MONEY TREE"
VILLAGE DANCERS
PARADE OF WORSHIPERS
BRINGING SPECIAL ITEMS
JOY OF THE OCCASION IS ON THE FACES
CIRCLING THE THAT WITH A GOLDEN CLOTH
WORSHIPERS CIRCLE THE THAT THREE TIMES
DONATING SCENTED WATER
TAKING A MOMENT FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION
STRING COMING FROM THE PRINCIPAL BUDDHA IMAGE
STRING GOING AROUND LANNA THAI VILLA
STRINGS IN MEETING HALL
YOUNG DANCERS PERFORMING
END OF THE DANCE
DANCERS FROM A DIFFERENT VILLAGE
YOUNG PERFORMER
WORSHIPERS WAITING FOR CHANTING TO BEGIN
DONATIONS
LIGHTING CANDLES AND INCENSE PRIOR TO CHANTING
MONKS PREPARING TO CHANT
OVERFLOW WORSHIPERS
DONATED FOOD FOR DISTRIBUTION
EVER PRESENT LOTTERY VENDORS