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Loi Krathong

          
          “Loi Krathong” is traditionally performed on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month, which usually falls on some day in November. The floating of a ‘Krathong’ – a banana–leaf cup – is intended to float away ill fortune as well as to express apologies to Khongkha or Ganga, the River Goddess. Some believe that the ritual is meant to worship the Buddha’s footprint on the bank of the Narmada River, while others say that it is to pay respect to Phra Uppakhut, one of the Lord Buddha’s great disciples.

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

          This year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has joint with Educational Institution and Thai Baot Association to present the Electric Float Procession from Taksin Bridge to Rama VIII Bridge and the 12 lighten up buildings and historical sites along Chao Praya River during Loi Krathong Festival.

          As for the public, people usually make banana-leaf cups to float them onto the river although there exist some uniquely different aspects in certain communities. For example, the Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai, during which balloon-like ‘Khom Loi’ lanterns including the ‘Khom Fai’ – a fire lantern – and ‘Khom Khwan’ – a smoke lantern – are flown into the sky as a symbol of worship to Phrathat Chulamani in heaven. Making a Khom Loi will need a lot of artistic skills as well as scientific techniques, just like the ones used in making a balloon. Tracing paper or Sa paper is used to make air bags of various shapes. It is believed that flying a Khom Loi is like flying grief and ill fortune away from ourselves or our home.

          In Tak province, the Loi Krathong Sai Festival is celebrated, which reflects the unity of the local people. Groups of people gather at the river banks, each bringing along thousands of Krathong made from coconut shells with dried wicks made from coconut flesh anointed with oil or ash for their inflammable as well as durable quality. There, they sing and dance with merriment.

          The span of the Ping River that passes by the provincial city of Tak is not deeper than one’s waist, with underwater sand bars curving into different shapes, forcing the current to meander. When the lit Krathongs are floated onto the right current, one after another, they would meander along and make a beautiful and twinkling curving line, or Sai in Thai, amid the darkness of the night.

          The famous Loi Krathong and Candle Festival in Sukhothai province features a procession of offerings, including Phanom Mak – the betel offering – and Phanom Dok Mai – the floral offering – carried by beautiful girls, as well as banana-leaf floats accompanied by the so-called Nang Nopphamat beauty queens.

          The Phanom Mak and Phanom Dok Mai offerings are for the homage paying rite at King Ramkhamhaeng the Great’s monument in the heart of the ancient city of Sukhothai. After that, people as well as visitors gather and float the Krathongs together on ponds, known as Traphang, inside the ancient city. The bright candle light from the floated Krathongs and the cool breeze of November together lends a pleasant atmosphere for all participants.

          Besides the well-known Loi Krathong Festival, there is another tradition that is based on a similar belief but is celebrated on the full moon night of the eleventh lunar month. Known as the Illuminated Boat Procession, the celebration takes place in the Northeastern provinces of Thailand that is located on the Mekong River. Illuminated boats of approximately 10 – 12 metres long are made from banana stalks or bamboo by villagers. The boats contain sweets, the so-called Khao Tom Mat – stuffed fried sticky rice – and objects to be donated inside, while decorated with flowers, incense sticks, candles, lamps and tinder outside. At present, the boats are created into various shapes such as important places or mythical creatures, which lend a bright and breathtaking sight when the boats illuminated by thousands of lamps are floated onto the river.

          Loi Krathong Highlights and Event venues

          As the full moon of the twelfth lunar month (usually in mid-November) lights up the night sky, throughout the Thai kingdom, hundreds of thousands of ornately-decorated krathong or traditional banana leaf floats are set adrift in rivers and waterways in a spell-binding ritual called "Loi Krathong" - the ’festival of lights". This is one of the Kingdom’s oldest and best-preserved traditions.

          The Loi Krathong tradition we know of today has evolved from the royal rituals of the early Rattanakosin period in which several types of lanterns were set afloat in the Chao Phraya River and its waterways.

The Royal Rattanakosin Loi Krathong Festival

          During the early Rattanakosin period, the royal rituals of Jong Priang, Lote Choot, Loi Khome Long Nam, performed during the twelfth lunar month were based on Brahmin beliefs. These were the court versions of Loi Krathong performed as an act of worship in which the Devaraja or ‘God Kings’ made offerings of light to the Brahmin deities. Lit lanterns were hoisted on to poles for two weeks during the twelfth lunar month and then floated on the waterways as ritual offerings. From its Brahmin roots, the practice has evolved over time and has come to be part of a Buddhist ritual performed as an act of deep reverence and worship of the sacred relics and holy footprints of Lord Buddha.

          The practice was subsequently adopted and adapted by common folk. Krathong floats are made from basic materials easily found around the village and reflect the simplicity of life beyond the palace walls. They typically take the shape of lotus in full bloom, swans, chedis (stupas), and Mount Meru from Buddhist mythology. However krathong floats in the shape of lotus blossoms are most popular.

          At dusk, as the full moon begins to rise, the krathong is decorated with fresh flowers and the candles and incense sticks are placed in the krathong. The float is then taken to a waterway where the candle and incense sticks are lit and the krathong set adrift. The floats are carried downstream by the gentle current, candlelight flickering in the wind.

          Soon after, attention turns to celebration. The evening’s festivities consist of impressive firework displays, folk entertainment, stage dramas, song and dance. Scenes as described in ancient Thai literary accounts are still very much in existence today.

          Krathong floats in the shape of lotus blossoms are most popular and are made from materials easily found in each locality. Loi Krathong customs and traditions reflect local beliefs and cultural evolution and interesting regional variations can be seen.

          Loi Krathong Sai on the Ping River
          Night of A Thousand Floating Lanterns

          In Tak province, the banana-leaf floats are replaced by coconut shells which are threaded together and launched simultaneously so they appear as long chains of hundreds of glittering lights on the Ping River, hence the origin of its name, "Loi Krathong Sai".

          Yi-Peng Festival in Northern Thailand

          In the Northern Thai provinces that were once part of the ancient Lanna Thai kingdom, the Yi-peng Northern Lantern Festival is still being celebrated. Tubular lanterns, resembling hot air balloons, are lit and released into the night sky as an offering the Lord Buddha. As hundreds of illuminated lanterns drift into infinity, this conjures the same sense of wistful closure as the krathong float downstream.

          The lighting of fireworks is undertaken in the same spirit as when lighting candles in an act of worship so fireworks displays are very much an integral element of the secular and religious rituals performed.

          The Origins of Loi Krathong

          There are various accounts about the origins of Loi Krathong. However given the river-based culture that forms the foundation of the traditional Thai way of life, it is widely believed that these are offerings made to Mae Khongkha - Mother of Waters in an act of appeasement. Many also believe that by setting adrift the krathong, one symbollically casts away one’s grief, misery and ill-fortunes. Coins are also placed in the krathong as offerings. For the romantic at heart and young couples, Loi Krathong is the time to make wishes for happiness together and success in love.

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http://www.painaima.com/topic.php?mcat_id=5&scat_id=1&topic_id=887

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http://www.loikrathong.net/th/gallery.php