ID :
206644
Mon, 09/12/2011 - 13:27
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/206644
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'Fire boat’ procession illuminates Sakon Nakhon Province
BANGKOK, September 12 (TNA) - An annual ‘fire boat’ procession festival is spectacularly illuminating Tao Ngoi District of Thailand's northeastern Sakon Nakhon Province.
Described as a Buddhist merit-making ritual, the two-day event, held this year from September 11-12, has drawn international tourists from near and far to enjoy the festivity, along with local people and government officials, despite, probable, seasonal downpours.
This year's features include a procession of 10 lavishly-adorned on-land boat caravans along the Pung riverside recreational park, in parallel with a twilight real-boat procession in the Pung River in the evening. Illuminated with lanterns, flowers and candles, each vessel, made from banana tree trunks and spliced bamboo slithers, was vividly designed to reflect Sakon Nakhon's indigenous identity and folk knowledge.
Traditionally, the provincial fire boat procession, locally referred to as ‘Lai Reua Fai', which literally means to set afloat a ‘fire boat’, is yearly celebrated on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month as a ritual offering to the Mother of Waters, or ‘Mae Phra Kongka’, and to symbolically cast away ill-fortunes. The annual event also inspires and promotes communal peace through gathering of people for joint activities. (TNA)
Described as a Buddhist merit-making ritual, the two-day event, held this year from September 11-12, has drawn international tourists from near and far to enjoy the festivity, along with local people and government officials, despite, probable, seasonal downpours.
This year's features include a procession of 10 lavishly-adorned on-land boat caravans along the Pung riverside recreational park, in parallel with a twilight real-boat procession in the Pung River in the evening. Illuminated with lanterns, flowers and candles, each vessel, made from banana tree trunks and spliced bamboo slithers, was vividly designed to reflect Sakon Nakhon's indigenous identity and folk knowledge.
Traditionally, the provincial fire boat procession, locally referred to as ‘Lai Reua Fai', which literally means to set afloat a ‘fire boat’, is yearly celebrated on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month as a ritual offering to the Mother of Waters, or ‘Mae Phra Kongka’, and to symbolically cast away ill-fortunes. The annual event also inspires and promotes communal peace through gathering of people for joint activities. (TNA)
