celebrants carrying wax castles proceed from patouxay monument to that Luang stupa.
As Laos enters an era of modernisation, people have less time for tradition, but it seems no one has lost interest in the That Luang Festival. Every year this colourful spectacle brings people together to take part in events that preserve Lao heritage and serve to keep ancient customs alive. The That Luang Festival is an annual event and this year runs from November 10- 12. It gives devotees from all over the country the chance to worship at the grand stupa in Vientiane. This 16th-century stupa, originally built by King Sayasetthathirath in 1566, is the national symbol of Laos. The three-day festival is held on the night of the November full moon and takes place one month after the Boat Racing Festival. Buddhist devotees come to worship at the stupa and take part in the wax castle procession, which is held in honour of the stupa. Stages are erected on the esplanade for public performances of traditional songs and dances from Vientiane and the northern and southern provinces. Visitors to the festival can enjoy the varied aspects of Lao culture, which are displayed to full advantage during this event. A trade fair set up on the esplanade exhibits goods produced by a wide range of businesses and serves to promote Lao products. As the number of exhibitors has grown, a second site has been set up at the Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre so visitors can browse the booths in comfort. More than 1,000 exhibitors, including embassies , international companies and domestic producers, will put their goods and services on display. Government leaders and representatives from state and private organisations will gather on November 10 to offi cially open the That Luang Festival and Trade Fair 2008. But most eyes will be on the stupa itself, which monks and the local authorities will decorate in a warm show of welcome to the visitors who will gather there to pay homage to the stupa and Lord Buddha. In observance of the Buddhist lunar calendar, on the 13th night of the waxing moon local residents will help each other to string lights around the stupa and clean the area to welcome worshippers. They gather together to get everything ready, and the women prepare rice wrapped in banana leaves, which they will grill and sell to visitors. The second day of the festival falls on the 14th day of the waxing moon, when the faithful gather at Vat Simeuang at 8am. This temple has great importance for the people of Vientiane as the home of the city pillar. This is where devotees come to show their respect for Buddha and pray for their future happiness. Monks will also gather to follow the long-standing Buddhist practice of giving offerings to the pillar, such as sweets, fruits, women’s traditional skirts (sinhs) and other items. Groups of people will assemble in the temple grounds bearing the traditional paraphernalia associated with this ceremony. They items they bring may include saplings, eight wax castles known as phasatpheuang, white and yellow robes, rice, salt, incense, candles, sand, banana leaves, four swords and a firearm, which are presented to the city pillar. People come from every district of Vientiane to take part in the event, and a colourful crowd gathers amid an atmosphere of fun and excitement. A group of musicians plays folk music on traditional instruments to add to the enjoyment of the occasion. At 1pm on the same day groups bearing elaborately decorated wax castles leave Vat Simeuang and gather at Patouxay Monument. Government officials and worshippers from across the country dress in traditional clothing and wear sashes as they parade slowly with their offerings. The parade proceeds towards the stupa , accompanied by small groups of musicians. Once they reach the stupa, worshippers will walk around it three times in a clockwise direction, led by monks from Vat That Luang who chant the ancient words of Buddha. On the 15th day of the waxing moon, which this year is November 12, the moon is full. In the early morning of this day, crowds surround the stupa. Women are dressed in their fi nest silk sinhs and blouses and men also wear their best clothes, as they carry silver bowls containing offerings. They present their offerings to the hundreds of monks who come to the stupa from temples around the country, and bow before them in homage to Buddhism and the stupa – the nation’s most revered symbol. Residents of That Luangneua and That Luang-tai villages prepare food and drink to welcome everyone on this special occasion. After they have presented their offerings to the monks, devotees sit together and eat noodle or chicken soup, grilled chicken and papaya salad. In the afternoon, everyone gathers for the traditional game of tikhy, which takes place on the esplanade. The game was originally played to build unity between government offi cials and common people after the rice harvest. The festival comes to a spectacular close in the evening, when people from all over Laos gather at the stupa for a candlelight procession. This is the last chance to present gifts and offerings to monks. After this festival, the larger temples in Vientiane - Taynhai, Ongteu and Inpaeng - hold their own festivals. The faithful will gather here for candlelight processions and will then walk from Vat Ongteu to Vat Inpaeng, where worshippers from both temples will celebrate together before returning to Vat Ongteu. More people attend this festival than any other event in the Buddhist calendar, to enjoy the spectacle, honour That Luang and make merit.
a game of tikhy always takes place on the fi nal day of the festival.
people come from all over the country to offer alms during the that Luang Festival.
Tags: Lao Traditions On Display At That Luang Festival
