This involved getting up really early! We were up at 5.30 am with my wife getting up around 2 am in order to prepare all the food! After last year's absence, it was time to visit this years edition.
Under the almost completed view of the new Bot at Wat Plai Laem we gathered with a lot of other local people from Plai Laem to pay our respects to and welcome the deceased for the Thaa Yai event.
During this event the deceased are welcomed back to earth for a few weeks and than after those few weeks send back again.
The welcoming is done with plenty of food. One table is covered with dishes and everybody walks around and piles more food on those dishes, which eventually are being offered to the Monks so they can have breakfast after their seemingly endless chanting.
During any event at the Temple, the guys typically shoot the shit under a big tree while the women attend to the prayers inside of the community room and do all the work.
A great social gathering this is indeed!
On a separate table from the food destined for the Monks, are the dishes for the deceased, beautifully crafted and piled with copious amounts of food. This picture shows a more delicate plate with loads of different foods in various small cups.
A table full of food for the deceased
The small white flags have messages for the deceased written on them.
After the chanting of the Monks is completed, we all go and eat food. Each family picks a spot to sit and food is shared, loads typical local stuff which some can't be found or very rarely in a shop or restaurant. Octopus curry and various dishes I don't even know the name of it or what is in them are amongst them!
As desert there are various sweets that are only prepared and cooked this once a year for Thaa Yai.
After all is eaten and everybody is full, the women complete one more ceremony, the 'Yok Taat Bin, Tamboen Kluat Naam' prayers are being said for the deceased and water is given and than the food is distributed amongst the living. During the prayers everybody holds on to each other, so everybody 'gives' water to the deceased.
In a few weeks time, the deceased are being sent back again and if possible at all, I'll report from this again.
Camille
1 comment:
It''s a great event i think. Wanna see it maybe next year...
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