Friday, November 26, 2010

Loy Krathong in Malaysia

Loy (“to float”) Krathong (“a leaf cup”) – the most charming festival in Thailand – honors both Buddhist traditions and the ancient water spirit of Mae Kong Ka, the Mother Waters of the Ganges River. Loy Krathong perhaps dates back to Hindu India, but the present form was developed by the Thais at Sukhothai to honor the rains which had watered the earth and to wash away the sins of the previous year.

Loy Krathong begins with a full-day parade of beauty queens, floral floats, and hundreds of participants dressed in historical costumes. As the sun falls, pilgrims launch thousands of tiny banana-leaf boats, each carrying a single candle, onto the rivers and lakes throughout the kingdom – a wonderful, delicate illusion enhanced by the light of the full moon.

(Carl Parkes, Thailand Handbook)


I didn’t go to Thailand, but a Thai temple in Malaysia, Wat Chetawan, celebrated this festival on Nov 20, 2010. Out of curiosity, I went there for a look. As I had sent my DSLR to Canon for service, all my pictures were taken with Panasonic Lumix…

17 comments:

  1. oh i didn't know this event.. thanks for sharing over here..

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  2. where is this Wat Chetawan?? looks like a very huge temple with lots of devotees..

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  3. what are those in the first photo?? are those ready to be put onto the water?? the bloomed lotus in the last photo is kind of nice i'd say..

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  4. Yeah! Where was this temple? :p

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  5. i like the song, Loy Krathong..

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  6. So festive there! Where it is located?

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  7. Oh, wow, what a crowd! Certainly seems like a popular festival.

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  8. SK
    Wat Chetawan is located in Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya.
    The things in 1st picture are the krathong, to be released into the water.

    tekkaus, VanillaSeven
    It's in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

    blee
    eh... I don't know how to sing the song...

    Zhu
    This festival is very popular in Thailand, but not so in Malaysia.

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  9. Nowadays the floral floats come in all shape and sizes.. Love the Loy Krathong song too..tQ

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  10. Brings to mind the tragedy in Cambodia. Thanks for sharing the pictures. I wonder what happens to all those stuff that's been released. Do they end up as garbage on the water or are they being collected later. hmmm..

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  11. Looks like many people attended this beautiful festival. Can other people who are non-Thais join in the prayers too?

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  13. Bananaz
    I can't sing the song, LOL...

    happysurfer
    More likely they would sink to the bottom of the lake...

    Autumn Belle
    I am non-Thai.

    tekkaus
    Done!

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  14. I am so surprised that many people do not know where is Wat Chetawan. Maybe I should go snap photos and promote that temple since it has nice architecture and those life-like monk statues. However your info about Loy Krathong is interesting as I thought it was only a Thai festive! ha ha!

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  15. Twilight
    Non-Buddhists are unlikely to know about the temple.

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    Sheril

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  17. Another Smart post from you Admin :)

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