Buddhist Lent Parade

Last week we had Thursday and Friday off for the Buddhist Lent Holiday celebrating the start of the rainy season and to mark the start of the three-month period when all the Buddhist Monks are to stay in their temples.

We were told a day before to come with some of the teachers to try on some traditional Thai clothing as we would be part of the school march down the main road of Mae Sai to represent our school in the parade. We each chose a colour in the beautiful Thai silk materials. The materials were large pieces of fabric which they draped around our wastes then tied rightly with a piece of string around our waste and fastened with a gold belt. The top began with a bandage strapped tightly around our chest, then a matching piece of material to our skirts was wrapped around and made into a form of sari which hang over our shoulder and down behind us. We were then decorated with matching gold necklaces and earrings.

The next day we arrived to get dressed up again. There were already about 20 Thai students all dressed up and ready to go. The girls looked incredible, like little dolls with false eye lashes and full make up on. Today the dressing up part took a lot longer as the Thai teachers wanted the material to all fall at the perfect lengths, it was a lot of wrapping and unwrapping, and today the string and bandage was a lot tighter. We had our hair braided and twisted around at the back of our heads like Rapunzel and our make up done. We then waited for a van to pick us up and take us to the main street.

The parade consisted of a one kilometre walk in which us ‘Farang’ teachers lead, holding shiny goblets and a large photograph of Buddha. The thai-english coordinator asked us first if we were comfortable with this incase it was against our religions. We were all fine with it and just felt priviledged to be included in the ceremony. There was a lot of photos and videos, a lot of walking in the heat and in our tight costumes. After the parade ended we headed back to school for the rest of our lessons to our classes who were all shocked to see us in Thai makeup and hair styles, all exclaiming ‘Suay!’ (beautiful).

School Temple Visit

To begin the Rainy Season, and celebrate the beginning of the Buddhist Lent Holiday. The school went on a trip to the nearest temple. Buddhist lent begins after the full moon day in July. It is said that in the rainy season, the Buddhist monks accidentally stepped on and killed young plants and insects. Buddha called all the monks to a gathering and said, “Behold monks, I grant you all to stay in the monastery in the rainy season.” So for three months the monks are supposed to stay in the temple after dusk, they aren’t allowed to stay overnight anywhere unless its very special circumstances.

At school each class were given a candle to bring to the temple, and people contributed to the money trees that the school was beginning decorated mainly with 100 baht notes. The classes all lined up at school and walked over to the temple together. Some teachers and students also contributed to some alms (food and other donations collected in baskets or buckets) for the monks. The temple ceremony lasted about an hour. We had to sit on the floor with our legs facing sideways (crossed legged is rude as your feet should always point behind you and never towards somebody especially a monk). There was a lot of praying and song, the candles were lit and a monk led us in more prayer. I was very moved at how familiar the students were at temple rituals. It shows just how big a part of life it is for these children who are so spiritually and culturally aware. They all take their shoes off, sit down with their legs to the side and chant in time perfectly without being told what to do, and that’s even the kindergarten students!