Nong Manao Community Celebrates Upcoming Buddhist Lent with Candle Procession

Banglamung, Near Pattaya, Thailand-

The Nong Manao Community came together to celebrate the upcoming Buddhist Lent with a traditional candle procession and offering ceremony.

The event took place at 9:00 a.m. on July 16, 2024, involving villagers, teachers, and students from Wat Sukri Bunyaram School in Nong Manao, Village No. 8, Banglamung Subdistrict, Banglamung District, Chonburi Province.

The actual dates will take place this weekend with national religious holidays on the 20th and 21st of July which also bring alcohol sales bans and will close bars and nightlife for two entire days on a weekend. This event was organised early so that students could attend.

The procession featured long drum performances and a parade around the community and temple grounds. Participants carried rain bath cloth candle trees and ram cloth trees, which were offered to the monks at Wat Sukri Bunyaram. The event was a joyous occasion for Buddhists, who made merit and sought blessings.

The candle procession during Buddhist Lent is a cherished tradition passed down through generations.

Offering candles for Buddhist Lent is considered an act of almsgiving that symbolizes the light of wisdom.

Preparations for the candle casting ceremony begin around the 8th day of the waxing moon of the 8th lunar month, about a week before the start of Buddhist Lent. Once the candles are cast, they are presented to a temple as an offering to the Buddha.

Many Buddhists also use this period to abstain from bad habits, such as smoking or drinking alcohol, for the three months of Buddhist Lent. This practice promotes health and well-being.

The lively atmosphere of the event drew significant attention from the villagers, who joined together to make merit and strengthen community unity.

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Adam Judd
Mr. Adam Judd is the Chief of Content, English language, of TPN Media since December 2017. He is originally from Washington D.C., America, but has also lived in Dallas, Sarasota, and Portsmouth. His background is in retail sales, HR, and operations management, and has written about news and Thailand for many years. He has lived in Pattaya for over a decade as a full-time resident, is well known locally and been visiting the country as a regular visitor for over 15 years. His full contact information, including office contact information, can be found on our Contact Us page below. Stories please e-mail Editor@ThePattayanews.com About Us: https://thepattayanews.com/about-us/ Contact Us: https://thepattayanews.com/contact-us/