The Lao New Year called "bpee mai" is celebrated every year from April 13 to 15. During the three day water festival water is used for washing homes, Buddha images, monks, and soaking friends and passers-by.
For the most devout Buddhists, a visit to nine temples throughout the celebrations, is sure to bring blessings for the coming year (2552 B.E. - Buddhist Era). Dressed in brightly coloured shirts and/or shorts, family members of all ages, arrive at the temple with a small plastic bucket of scented water with a variety of flower petals, including marigolds, floating in the water.
The temple and various other structures and statues are draped with brightly coloured cloth.
Visitors make their way through the temple courtyard washing the buddha statues by dipping a bunch of flowers or leaves in the bucket and then sprinkling the water over the statues. Everything receives a thorough cleaning and is left covered with flower petal remants. While making their way through the temple courtyard, they may also respectfully throw water on each other for blessings of long life and peace.
Vendors selling incense, candles, buckets of scented water with flower petals, flower garlands, coconut leaf hats and a variety of street food treats including fried sweet potatoes, meat on a stick, grilled sticky rice and egg patties and a variety of local fruit drinks, can be found around the entrance to the temple.
As I wander through the temple with my non-Buddhist Lao friends, who have come just to show me the traditions of Lao New Year, I'm intrigued by the rituals so unfamiliar to me.
No comments:
Post a Comment