All Topics  
Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival

 
Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival
 
 
  Topics Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival Topic Home

The Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival, the most elaborate of the traditional parading of candles to wat
Wat

A wat is a monastery temple in Cambodia, Thailand, Lanna or Laos. The word "wat" means "school." Strictly speaking a wat is a Buddhist sacred precinct with monks' quarters, the temple proper, an edifice housing a large image of Buddha, and a structure for lessons....
s , is held in Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani

Ubon Ratchathani is both a city and a province in Thailand. For the province, see Ubon Ratchathani province.Ubon Ratchathani is a city in the south-east of the Isan region of Thailand....
, Isan
Isan

Isan is the northeast region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima....
, Thailand
Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar....
, around the days of Asanha Puja
Asalha Puja

Asalha Puja is a Theravada Buddhist festival which typically takes place in July, on the fifteenth day of the waxing moon of the eighth lunar month....
 (which commemorates the Buddha
Gautama Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama was a Spirituality teacher in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent who founded Buddhism. He is generally seen by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddhahood of our age....
’s first sermon) and Wan Kao Pansa (which marks the beginning of vassa
Vassa

Vassa , also called Rains Retreat, is the traditional Retreat during the rainy season lasting for three lunar months from July to October....
).

At the start of the Lenten period, it is traditional in preparation for the rainy season for the devout to donate to items for the personal use of monk
Buddhism in Thailand

Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school. Nearly 95% of Thailand's population is Buddhist of the Theravada school, though Buddhism in this country has become integrated with folk beliefs such as ancestor worship as well as Chinese religions from the large Thai Chinese....
s, and of candle
Candle

A candle is a source of light, and sometimes a source of heat, consisting of a solid block of fuel and an embedded candle wick.Today, most candles are made from paraffin....
s to dispel gloom in their quarters and elsewhere within the wat.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival'
Start a new discussion about 'Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Candlefestivalfloat
The Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival, the most elaborate of the traditional parading of candles to wat
Wat

A wat is a monastery temple in Cambodia, Thailand, Lanna or Laos. The word "wat" means "school." Strictly speaking a wat is a Buddhist sacred precinct with monks' quarters, the temple proper, an edifice housing a large image of Buddha, and a structure for lessons....
s , is held in Ubon Ratchathani
Ubon Ratchathani

Ubon Ratchathani is both a city and a province in Thailand. For the province, see Ubon Ratchathani province.Ubon Ratchathani is a city in the south-east of the Isan region of Thailand....
, Isan
Isan

Isan is the northeast region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima....
, Thailand
Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar....
, around the days of Asanha Puja
Asalha Puja

Asalha Puja is a Theravada Buddhist festival which typically takes place in July, on the fifteenth day of the waxing moon of the eighth lunar month....
 (which commemorates the Buddha
Gautama Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama was a Spirituality teacher in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent who founded Buddhism. He is generally seen by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddhahood of our age....
’s first sermon) and Wan Kao Pansa (which marks the beginning of vassa
Vassa

Vassa , also called Rains Retreat, is the traditional Retreat during the rainy season lasting for three lunar months from July to October....
).

At the start of the Lenten period, it is traditional in preparation for the rainy season for the devout to donate to items for the personal use of monk
Buddhism in Thailand

Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school. Nearly 95% of Thailand's population is Buddhist of the Theravada school, though Buddhism in this country has become integrated with folk beliefs such as ancestor worship as well as Chinese religions from the large Thai Chinese....
s, and of candle
Candle

A candle is a source of light, and sometimes a source of heat, consisting of a solid block of fuel and an embedded candle wick.Today, most candles are made from paraffin....
s to dispel gloom in their quarters and elsewhere within the wat. The latter is often the core event of many village celebrations, but is at its most elaborate in the Ubon Ratchathani version, which nowadays is a major event both for residents and for tourists: giant candles are paraded through the town, each representing a local temple
Wat

A wat is a monastery temple in Cambodia, Thailand, Lanna or Laos. The word "wat" means "school." Strictly speaking a wat is a Buddhist sacred precinct with monks' quarters, the temple proper, an edifice housing a large image of Buddha, and a structure for lessons....
, district or other institution. The more elaborate versions are accompanied by scenes of Hindu and Buddhist mythology
Mythology

The word mythology refers to a body of folklore/myths/legends that a particular culture believes to be true and that often use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity....
 sculpted in wood or plaster and coated with wax
Wax

Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by bees and used by them in constructing their honeycombs.It is an imprecisely defined term generally understood to be a substance with properties similar to beeswax, namely...
. Of course, these candles are never burned.

Candlefestivaldancer
Candlefestivalfigure
The candles are carved a couple of days before the procession. On Asanha Bucha day, the candles are taken to Tung Sri Muang, a park in the middle of the city, where they are decorated and then exhibited in the evening. On the same evening, there are small processions with lighted candles at several temples.

The procession takes place on the morning of Wan Kao Pansa. The candles are paraded through the city centre on floats, accompanied by representatives of the respective institutions. These are normally dancers or musician
Musician

A musician is a person who plays or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument....
s in traditional dress
Clothing

A feature of all human societies, except perhaps the most primitive, is the wearing of clothing or clothes, especially in public. The primary purpose of clothing is functional, as a protection from the weather....
.

In addition to the above, the festival is accompanied by the usual paraphernalia of feasting and games which attend any Thai festival.

External links

  • by Ubon Ratchathani city municipality