Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Songkram

Yesterday we had a little ceremony. Half of the villagers came to the temple to make a donation. Traditionally one goes to visit the elders, so many of the people were family of the villagers but i've never seen them before. For events like this, they prepare a cart with a tree which is decorated with small gifts. They come in one large group accompanied by rhythm of gongs and drums.
It was afternoon already, most of the people were rather drunk and giggling, laughing, and chatting. Lumpoh was in a good mood and made it a nice ceremony. Drunk as they were they took the 5 precepts of which one is to train to abstain from drinking alcohol.
Later in the afternoon they came with pick up's and a truck full of sand and builded a pagodalike pile. This is a symbolic act of taking ones dirt and evil to the monastery and leave it there.

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