I can’t remember how many times I have ever floated a medium-size banana-leaf vessel decorated with flowers, incense sticks and a candle, or a krathong, in a canal, a river, a pond, a basin at my house or even up the sky during Loy Krathong Festival; the only significant thing to me is that it’s always fun to celebrate the Loy Krathong Festival which takes place every year by floating a krathong in a body of water. This year, for instance, I celebrated my Loy krathong festival with just a few friends in a pond near my house, and even though there wasn’t a large crowd, it still gave me a lot of pleasure just as it had done in past years.
For those of you who have never heard of the Loy Krathong festival, I will briefly explain that it is a tradition handed down ever since the Thai historical time. Originally, this custom had been a Brahmanic festival to worship the Brahmin gods. In the past, Loy krathong festival was conducted by creating a lantern and floating it in the river. The lantern was gradually modified into the present-day lotus-shaped krathong made of a natural vessel which floats on water and is adorned with flowers, three incense sticks and a candle. There exist many reasons for the loy krathong tradition which pass down from generation to generation, but the two main ones are to ask for forgiveness from Phra Mae Khongkha for using and polluting her water (Phra Mae Khongkha is the Goddess of Water who gives life to the Khongkha River as per the belief of the Indians); the other reason is to worship the foot-print of the Buddha on Nammathanati River Beach in India, according to Buddhist belief.
In the same manner, in Northern Thailand there is a Yi Peng festival, "Yi" meaning "2nd" and "Peng" (which corresponds to the word “Peng " or “Pen”) meaning full moon, and together they mean the full moon night of the 2nd month according to the Lunar calendar which coincides with the Loy Krathong festival of the Central Region of Thailand. Floating a yi peng lantern is believed to be an act of paying worship to Phra Ket Kaew Julamanee (Buddha’s relic) in the Tavatimsa Heaven (heaven for divine beings) in order to float away the year’s misfortunes and to acquire a more auspicious life.
The Loy Krathong & Yi Peng festival is conducted on the full-moon evening of the twelfth lunar month of every year which does not correspond to the current world standard calendar and generally occurs during October/November. On that day, apart from Loy Krathong and Yi Peng lantern floating activities, there will also be a Noppamas beauty pageant contest (with the contestants beautifully dressed up in traditional Thai costumes), krathong-making contest, Krathong Sai float contest (where polished half-coconut shells with lit candles are tied together and floated down the river) as well as illuminated boat procession, traditional performances and exciting firework displays in the evening.
Throughout all regions in Thailand, Loy Krathong is celebrated especially in large cities with the main river flowing through. Ayudhya, Sukhothai, Nakorn Sawan and Bangkok are cities where the festival is held in full splendor. And, by the way, if you want to take part in the Yi Peng lantern floating activity, I recommend that you visit Chiang Mai. I was there last year and can vouch for its awesome beauty.
As Loy Krathong is celebrated only one day every year I am sorry to say that it is too late for you to enjoy it this year. However, if you plan to vacation in Thailand in the last quarter of next year or other years, may I suggest that you include this delightful tradition in your schedule and I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed with the magnificence of hundreds of flickering lights floating on the waterways or up the sky at night. ;)
In the same manner, in Northern Thailand there is a Yi Peng festival, "Yi" meaning "2nd" and "Peng" (which corresponds to the word “Peng " or “Pen”) meaning full moon, and together they mean the full moon night of the 2nd month according to the Lunar calendar which coincides with the Loy Krathong festival of the Central Region of Thailand. Floating a yi peng lantern is believed to be an act of paying worship to Phra Ket Kaew Julamanee (Buddha’s relic) in the Tavatimsa Heaven (heaven for divine beings) in order to float away the year’s misfortunes and to acquire a more auspicious life.
The Loy Krathong & Yi Peng festival is conducted on the full-moon evening of the twelfth lunar month of every year which does not correspond to the current world standard calendar and generally occurs during October/November. On that day, apart from Loy Krathong and Yi Peng lantern floating activities, there will also be a Noppamas beauty pageant contest (with the contestants beautifully dressed up in traditional Thai costumes), krathong-making contest, Krathong Sai float contest (where polished half-coconut shells with lit candles are tied together and floated down the river) as well as illuminated boat procession, traditional performances and exciting firework displays in the evening.
Throughout all regions in Thailand, Loy Krathong is celebrated especially in large cities with the main river flowing through. Ayudhya, Sukhothai, Nakorn Sawan and Bangkok are cities where the festival is held in full splendor. And, by the way, if you want to take part in the Yi Peng lantern floating activity, I recommend that you visit Chiang Mai. I was there last year and can vouch for its awesome beauty.
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