Thailand's Light Festival

Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Friday, Nov 21, 2008
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Float kindly light


On a full-moon night every November, the waterways of Thailand come alive with twinkling lights riding on pretty little floats..
Chitra Ramaswamy


The air is rent asunder with the sound of firecrackers and the sky erupts in a kaleidoscope of colours. Young and old throng the riverside and canals in a spirit of cheer and bonhomie. Houses, streets and alleyways shine bright as lights abound everywhere. We are witnessing one of Thailand’s biggest festivals — the Loy Krathong (loy means “to float” and krathong refers to the lotus-shaped object set afloat on th e occasion). The festival falls on the full-moon night of the twelfth lunar month, which is November. The krathongs are fashioned out of banana trunk, which serves as the base, and banana leaves, which are intricately cut and shaped to resemble lotus petals. The lotus boat is then sprinkled with betel nut, rice, coins and flowers; an incense stick and a candle are lit and placed inside the boat before it is set afloat in a river, canal or any other waterway in a ritual that is symbolic of floating away one’s misfortunes and troubles. Some Thai women even place nail clippings and locks of hair in the floats. Prayers are offered to the river goddess Khongkha or Ganga, with apologies for misdeeds and hopes for good luck and prosperity in the coming year.

The sight of thousands of twinkling lights bobbing along on the high-tide waters is delightful indeed and reminds one of similar sights at Haridwar and Tanjore back home in India. Some of the krathongs are shaped differently to resemble mythical creatures, swans and even pagodas. We are told that in recent times even bread is being used to craft the krathongs. Loy Krathong is celebrated throughout Thailand, albeit with minor variations in different regions. It is celebrated as Yi Peng in northern Thailand during which colourful paper lanterns of all shapes and sizes are released into the air.

Festivities begin two days prior to full-moon day, and houses are cleaned and festooned with a string of lanterns. On the festival day, people pay homage to ancestors and offer food to monks in the morning, while in the evening they listen to sermons before lighting candle or beeswax pots around the house decorated with banana stems, coconut leafstalk, sugarcane and flowers. Beauty contests, boat races and the krathong parade are also held on that day.

There are several legends associated with the origins of the festival and one of these is centred around the Hindu Trinity — Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Thais pay homage to the rivers, around which their lives revolve.

Farmers and cattle breeders offer prayers to the water goddess Phra Mae Khongkha. Another legend associates the festival with Lord Buddha, who preached to the Naggas or mythological serpents and fulfilled their wish by leaving a mark of his footprints on the banks of the Narmada river in central India. It is believed that on this special night, all rivers carry the floating krathongs to the holy footprints.

Yet another legend associates the festival with the 13th century queen Naang Noppamart, wife of King Rama Kamhaeng of Sukhothai, who began making small floats of the lotus flower as an offering to the river genii. Enchanted by the pretty floats, the king declared it an official ceremony.

In the Tak region of Thailand, the festival is celebrated to symbolise the unity of the Thais; people who gather at the riverbanks to set afloat krathongs made of coconut shell. The wicks are made out of coconut flesh daubed with oil or ash. The evening is marked with much merriment, music and dance.

Whatever the origins, the festival is a feast for the eyes in a country that is known for its vibrant culture.