#LoyKrathong and Candle Festival

LoyKrathong Day

Highlight Spot: Along the Chao phranya River banks

One of the most beautiful festivals that take place in Thailand is the one for Loy Krathong. This is celebrated on the full moon in October 31, 2020. The word Loy means to float, and a Krathong is a banana leaf cup. People place a candle and incense sticks in their Krathongs and then float them on a local river or pond. As they push away their Krathong, they ask for forgiveness in polluting the waterways and also for good luck in the coming months.

The festival probably originated in India as a Hindo festival similar to Deepavali as thanksgiving to the deity of Ganges with floating lanterns for giving life throughout the year. According to the writings of H.M. King Rama IV in 1863, the originally Brahmanical festival was adapted by Buddhists in Thailand as a ceremony to honour the original Buddha, Siddhartha Guatama. Apart from venerating the Buddha with light (the candle on the raft), the act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, anger and defilements, so that one can start life afresh on a better foot. People will also cut their fingernails and hair and add them to the raft as a symbol of letting go of the bad part of oneself. Many

   

    Thai belive that floating a krathong will create good luck, and they do it to

honor and thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha. The beauty contests that accompany the festival are known as "Noppamas Queen Contests". According to legend, Noppamas was a consort of the Sukothai King Loethai (14th century) and she was the first to float decorated krathongs. The Loy Krathong festival is also associated with the start of vegetable carving. The Thai tradition of Loy Krathong started off in Sukhothai, but is now celebrated throughout Thailand, with the festivities in Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya being particularly well known. In Chiang Mai Loi Krathong is also known as "Yi Peng". Every year thousands of people assemble to float the banana-leaf krathong onto the waterways of the city, honouring the Gooddess of Water. A multitude of Lanna-style sky lanterns (khom fai) are also launched into the air where they resemble large flocks of giant fluorescent jellyfish gracefully floating by through the skies. These are believed to help rid the locals of troubles and are also taken to decorate houses and streets. Kelantan also has the same celebration, especially in the Tumpat area. The ministry in charge of tourism in Malaysia recognises it as an attraction for tourist. Many people visit the celebration each year. (www.wikipedia.org) This year is October 31, 2020.

    

                                  The lamp on Loy Krathong Day                  

                                  Credit Photo:bangkokpost.com

    Loy Krathong is an ancient traditional that first originated in Sukhothai, the first Thai capital. It is appropriate to hold this memorable festival in the charged atmosphere of the ruins of this ancient city. Krathong are floated on the river to take away bad luck. This full-moon-wide. In Bangkok, Krathong with lighted candles can be seen from the banks of the rivers and canals. 

Tropping of the Colours   

     Their Majesties the king and Queen preside over this impressive event held each year in the Royal Plaza near the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn. Dressed in colourful uniforms, amid great pomp and ceremony, members of the elite Royal Guards swear allegiance to the King and march past members of the Royal Family.