Loy Krathong (or Loi Krathong, Thai ลอยกระทง) is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand.
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Overview
Loy Krathong is held on the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar. In the western calendar this usually falls in November.
"Loy" means "to float". "Krathong" is a raft about a handspan in diameter traditionally made from a section of banana tree trunk (although modern-day versions use specially made bread 'flowers' and may use styrofoam), decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, incense sticks etc. During the night of the full moon, many people will release a small raft like this on a river. Governmental offices, corporations and other organizations also build much bigger and more elaborate rafts, and these are often judged in contests. In addition, fireworks and beauty contests take place during the festival.
According to the writings of H.M. King Rama IV in 1863, the originally Brahmanical festival was adapted by Buddhists in Thailand as a ceremony to honour the original Buddha, Siddhartha Guatama. Apart from venerating the Buddha with light (the candle on the raft), the act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, anger and defilements, so that one can start life afresh on a better foot. People will also cut their fingernails and hair and add them to the raft as a symbol of letting go of the bad parts of oneself. Many Thai believe that floating a krathong will create good luck, and they do it to honor and thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha (พระแม่คงคา).
The beauty contests that accompany the festival are known as "Noppamas Queen Contests". According to legend, Noppamas was a consort of the Sukothai king Loethai (14th century) and she was the first to float decorated krathongs. The Loy Krathong festival is also associated with the start of vegetable carving.
The Thai tradition of Loy Kratong started off in Sukhothai, but is now celebrated throughout Thailand, with the festivities in Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya being particularly well known.
Loy Kratong coincides with the Lanna (northern Thai) festival known as "Yi Peng", which, due to a difference between the old Lanna calendar and the Thai calendar, is held on a full moon of the 2nd month of the Lanna calendar. A multitude of Lanna-style sky lanterns (khom fai or khom loi) are launched into the air where they resemble large flocks of giant fluorescent jellyfish gracefully floating by through the skies. These are believed to help rid the locals of troubles and are also taken to decorate houses and streets. The most elaborate Yi Peng celebrations can be seen in Chiang Mai, the ancient capital of the former Lanna kingdom. In the merging of the Yi Peng festival with Loy Krathong, now too thousands of people assemble to float the banana-leaf krathong onto the waterways of Chiang Mai at the same time, honouring the Goddess of Water.[1]
Kelantan also has the same celebration, especially in the Tumpat area. The ministry in charge of tourism in Malaysia recognises it as an attraction for tourist. Many people visit the celebration each year.
Gallery
 Loy Krathong 2007 at Lumpini Park in Bangkok |
 Loy Krathong 2007 at Lumpini Park in Bangkok |
 Loy Krathong 2007 at Lumpini Park in Bangkok |
 Loy Krathong 2007 at Lumpini Park in Bangkok |
See also
- Public holidays in Thailand
- Diwali The Indian light festival
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Loi Krathong |
- http://www.tourismthailand.org/interesting-article/sukhothai-64-362-1.html
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Loi Krathong Website (photo, graphic and other material)
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