Chaiyaphum residents rush to make incense trees, preparing to hold the world’s only Bun Krathup festival, 13-16 Oct, to continue the tradition of the Ok Phansa merit-making festival.
Every year around the end of Buddhist Lent, people from every village and sub-district in Nong Bua Daeng District, Chaiyaphum Province, will gather to make incense trees to light and pay homage to the Lord Buddha. In addition, people from Ratsadorn, Nong Bua Daeng Sub-district, Nong Bua Daeng District, Chaiyaphum Province, will gather to find coconut shells, dry them, and crush the coconut shell powder into incense powder. They will wrap it with colored paper to create various patterns and assemble it into beautiful and unusual umbrella-shaped trees to celebrate and take to light at various temples during the end of Buddhist Lent.
Ms. Orapha Lohwira, Deputy Governor of Chaiyaphum Province, together with Mr. Sarawut Sammalee, District Chief of Nong Bua Daeng, Ms. Natthachuta Nanthani, Tourism and Sports of Chaiyaphum Province, M
s. Rungthip Bukkhuntod, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima Office, and relevant agencies announced the readiness to organize the Boon Krathup tradition, the only one in the world, from October 13-16, 2024, in front of the Nong Bua Daeng District Office, Chaiyaphum Province, to continue the tradition of the belief in the end of Buddhist Lent of the people of Nong Bua Daeng District, which will begin on October 13 at 7:00 a.m. with a ceremony to invite the relics of the Lord Buddha to the pavilion in front of the Nong Bua Daeng District Office. Then there will be a cultural and artistic procession with flower floats from local administrative organizations in all 9 sub-districts. At 6:00 p.m., there will be an opening ceremony of the Boon Krathup tradition, and a performance of the Maha Thai circle dance. Dance for the Lord Phaya Lae, a procession of lights, colors, and sounds by more than 1,500 dancers from Nong Bua Daeng District, along with a view of a giant incense tree, decorat
ed in the style of identity and culture of the people of Nong Bua Daeng District.
According to legend, before the end of Buddhist Lent, villagers in Nong Bua Daeng District, Chaiyaphum Province, will gather to find coconut shells, dry them, and crush only the coconut shell powder, mixed with various herbs to create fragrance, such as the leaves of Thong Phan Chang, Om leaves, Niem leaves, and Nang leaves, steamed, dried in the sun, and ground again to create fragrant wood dust. Then, mix it with coconut fertilizer, wrap it in paper to make a long shape like incense sticks, and decorate it with colored paper to make beautiful patterns, such as Thai patterns, similar to the Mat Mi pattern, and tie it to stars made from palm leaves. Then, tie it to bamboo poles similar to fishing rods. Make a lot of them and then insert them into the holes around the bamboo joints, creating layers like umbrellas, beautifully decorated, before taking them out to light on the day of the candle procession to pay homage to the Lord
Buddha who descended from the Tavatimsa heaven after teaching his mother.
Buddhists celebrate to continue the tradition and promote tourism in Nong Bua Daeng District by using the name of the event as the Boon Krathup tradition, which is the only one in the world. It starts from the end of Buddhist Lent, starting from the 14th waxing moon of the 11th month, which locals call ‘Chot Tai Nam Noi’, the 15th waxing moon of the 11th month, locals call ‘Chot Tai Nam Yai’, and the 1st waning moon of the 12th month, locals call ‘Chot Tai Nam Laeng Hang Pradeep’. It is like this incense tree, when lit, it will give off a fragrant smell that spreads in all directions. This fragrant smell is pleasing to all people who smell it, causing joy and happiness. When it is time to light the incense, locals will make a container for lighting the fire to use in this tradition by taking ‘Luk Toom Ka’, which looks like an orange with a hard shell, cutting it in half, removing the flesh, and putting sesame seeds or vegetable oil as
fuel. A string woven into the shape of a crow’s foot is used as a fuse to light the fire.
There are also many souvenirs for sale at the event. Don’t miss the Bun Krathup Festival, the only one in the world, in Nong Bua Daeng District, Chaiyaphum Province.
Source: Thai News Agency