May 9, 2007

By Karun S.

 

Every May, the Kingdom of Thailand celebrates the Royal Ploughing Day in the Royal Field or Sanam Luang near the Grand Palace. While the religious rites welcoming the new planting season has remained unchanged since ancient times, the actual day of the ceremony varies from year to year as the date and time are set by Royal Brahmin astrologers.  This year, the ceremony falls on the 10 th of May 2007.

This Hindu rite reflects the Brahmin influence in Thailand and has been practiced for thousands of years in India, even before the origin of Buddhism. As Prince Siddhartha, Lord Buddha also took part in this auspicious ceremony.

 

Their Majesty the King and Queen are also present in this auspicious ceremony. His Majesty the King appoints the Ploughing Lord as his representative to carry out the holy rites. The ceremony not only marks the start of the new rice-growing season but also assures a successful planting season and an abundance of crops.
 

The amount of rainfall to be expected during the growing season is forecasted in this ceremony as the Ploughing Lord will have to choose one of three identical cloths of different lengths. If he selects the longest one, then there will be an abundance of rainfall in the coming year.  If the shortest one is picked, rain won’t be plentiful while the one of medium length indicates average rainfall.

The Ploughing Lord then ploughs through Sanam Luang with a sacred plough of red and gold drawn by sacred white bulls after putting on a piece of cloth called “Panung”. Four consecrated ladies who carry gold and silver baskets filled with rice seed follows the plough. Brahmans walk alongside the plough while chanting and blowing conch shells.

To promote the importance of Agriculture and remind people related to this field to take part in this ceremony, Royal Plough Ceremony day has been recognized as the Annual Agriculturists Day since 1966. This ceremony is believed to bring about fortune and wealth for participants and the nation as a whole. Since then, the Agriculturists Day has been observed together with the Rice Grains Blessing and Ploughing Ceremony.

The majestic Royal Ploughing Ceremony and the energetic "Bun Bung Fai" Rocket Festival are the most celebrated merit-making rituals of the Isan or Northeastern region. They are also among the nation's most important and visually engaging events. Agricultural productivity and abundance of crops is the key focus of both the royal as well as the folk traditions.  Festivities are held to boost the farmers' morale urging them to strive for an abundant harvest and encouraging them to engage in rice cultivation on a significant scale.

Next: Kingdom of Thailand celebrates Coronation Day.