LOY KRA THONG FESTIVAL DAY,THAILAND.

                                LOY KRA THONG FESTIVAL DAY,THAILAND.

 

About Loy Kra Thong Festival Day:

 

The festival of Loy Krathong is a time to pay our respects to the Goddess of Water by floating candles and joss-sticks.

 

Loy Krathong is as old as Thai heritage and represents a close bond between Thai culture and water. The festival takes place on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month when the water level is high and the climate is cooler. Participants ask water spirits to sail away their troubles in their krathongs, which are containers traditionally made from banana leaves and carrying offerings of incense, lotus flowers and small money.

 

“Loy” means “float”, and a “krathong” is a special Thai floating sculpture particular to the holiday. The traditional krathong is made from a cross-section of a banana tree trunk, which is then elaborately decorated with folded banana leaves and flowers in intricate towering designs. You will find hundreds of krathongs for sell around the main Loy Krathong festivity areas. Often school children will make their own krathongs in school or with their family. They’ll even have krathong contests in school to see who can craft the most beautiful and artistic float.

 

Today the banana trunk core is sometimes replaced by styrofoam or bread (baked into the form of a traditional krathong or a cute floating turtle). The banana trunk and bread krathongs are obviously eco-friendly, so better choices for your family.

 

In addition to the water festivities, Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai features floating lanterns (or sky lanterns), large paper lanterns that float up into the sky just as a hot air balloon does. Seeing hundreds or thousands of these launched into the air at once is magical. You will also easily find these lanterns for sale in Chiang Mai, and the vendors or other locals will be happy to show you how to light them and launch them into the air. As with the krathong, you hold the floating lantern as a family and then release it up into the air together.

 

Forge unforgettable Loy Krathong memories together as a family. Joining the local festivities of the Loy Krathong holiday and taking part in beautiful traditions will be a meaningful and memorable highlight of your Thailand family holiday. The cool weather during this part of the year also makes it a wonderful time to explore the many other wonders of Thailand.

 

The Loi Krathong Festival is celebrated nationwide in Thailand, especially where there are rivers, canals or sources of water, with different unique characteristics.

Loy Krathong in contemporary Thailand seems far removed from the original concept of quiet contemplation and reflection, but judging by the huge crowds lining river banks, sea shores and even swimming pool patios year after year, no-one seems to mind much

 

Other famous places to celebrate Loy Krathong in Thailand are Sukhothai, Tak, Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai.

Loy Krathong 
Couples can get an insight into the future of their relationships by watching whether their krathongs float together or drift apart.

 

 

History of Loy Krathong

       A crowd with flickering light of candles and color of flowers decorating floating object is familiar scene in a celebration occurring in a twelfth month in lunar calendar. It is one of wonderful Asian cultures when rivers and canals are full of water. Since we have been a kid, I guess everyone must be impressed with this festive occasion in November - Loy Krathong. Most of us are convinced that floating objects or Krathongs are originated in Sukhothai by Tao Sri Chulalak or Nang Noppamas, who was one of Phra Ruang’s wives. However, some assert that the story was written in the reign of Rama III merely to advocate women on role model of a good wife, as no evidence is found to prove the festival’s existence. They believe that Loy Krathong has just been celebrated since the end of Ayutthaya. Despite the confusing history, this gracious culture is still alive. People still conducts this ritual not only to worship the footprint of the Buddha on a riverside in India, but also to pay respect to Chulamanee Chedi in heaven. Another well-known purpose is to show their gratitude to the Goddess of the Water on their plentiful use of water and ask for forgiveness in the ensuing pollution. Moreover, many people believe that floating the beautiful Krathong away also refers to flying away misfortune and bad things in the past and asking for good luck in the future.

 

In the past, people in Lanna Kingdom in the north of Thailand also show respect to rivers, but they use fire instead. They float a lantern like a hot-air balloon in the sky which is called Yee Peng. And now we still can find this celebration in Chiang Mai. Interestingly, people other than Thais have the similar tradition. Not far from us, Laos float Pratips (or our Krathong) and Lai Rue Fai (or flowing an ablaze boat) in worship of Water Goddess. This rite is also used to welcome the Buddha after His return from preaching to His mother in the second heaven. In Cambodia, this period is called Ok Ambok which means worshipping the moon. They float Pratips on a full moon night as well. Another neighboring country as Burma has the same culture. They float Krathong to worship the Buddha and Nut or household spirit. Looking upward farther, some of us may be surprised that Vietnam, Korea and Japan have the similar rituals too. They apologize the Water Goddess and float away ill fortune. It is assumed that the origin is Mahayana Buddhism which was expanded from China. On the other hand, Indians claim that they are the root of this ceremony derived from Brahmin. This festival is aimed to worship Naraya God who sleeps in the milk ocean and He then will throw our sin away.

 

       In Thailand, people enjoy creating their own Krathong made from natural resources, such as leaves and trunks of banana adorned with flowers. Some might use bread instead of synthetic materials showing their concern for environment. Other than flowers, a candle and incense sticks, we often put some coins or betel pepper and nut in our Krathongs. And that’s why our Krathongs can’t drift any further as they are raided for little money. Nevertheless, Loy Krathong Festival remains the most romantic and favorite occasion for a number of people and still best represents our gratitude.

 

                                                       reference:grad.cm.co.th/thaiworldview/thailandforcholdren.