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Now Showing:Around the world / Thailand / Loy Krathong [Viewed 3191 times]

By Tourism Authority of Thailand

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Loy Krathong also known as The Festival of Lights is an important festival in Thailand. On the same Indians celebrate Karthik Purnima (main day of world famous Pushkar Fair) and Guru Nanak Jayanti (birthday of first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev). The festival is celebrated on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month, when the rainy season has ended and the rivers and streams are filled with water. You see Thai woman placing flowers with lit candles in the water.

Like the Thai women you saw in the previous picture placing candles in the water, you see a group of Indian women places Deepas in the river Chambal in Kotas. When we went to Chitrakoot during Diwali (Indian Festival of Lights) 2008 we saw a number of Indian women placing Deeps in the river Mandakini.

This looks like festival of light celebrations at Sukhothai Historical Park. Prior to setting their krathong afloat, people place in it a lighted candle, incense sticks, flowers, a coin and some food offerings. They make a silent prayer of thanks for the water received, a request for forgiveness for wrongs done, and a wish for the fulfillment of a personal dream. You saw Thai women doing that in pic no 1 and this one.

You see Thai people with lanterns. The floating of lanterns, which began in the Sukhothai period, continued throughout the different stages of Thai history. In India people place lanterns outside their homes, at the window and on the street during the festival of Diwali although the lantern design may differ from what you see.

The present day understanding is that the festival is celebrated as an act of worship to Chao Mae Kangka-the Goddess of the Waters for providing water and a way of asking forgiveness if they have polluted it or used it carelessly. You see major celebrations with fireworks in the background.

You see a fully illuminated bridge during Loy Krathong.

Similiarly you see a picture of a fully illuminated Keshorai Patan temple on the banks of the river Chambal Kota, India. Although the picture was clicked on occasion of Bundi Fair 2009, temples in India are similiarly lit up during Diwali.

Another picture of celebrations during the Festival of Lights. Please write to me if any of the picture narrations are incorrect.

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Comment By - Anand Sagar Dash Date - 10 Nov 2011 Time - 9:03PM
The first and 3rd images depicting folks floating boat decorated with flower, insense sticks,light(dia) is exactly the same with the festival and customs we observe in Orissa on Kartik Purnima.

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