Festivals
Sweet
Tamarind Day Sweet tamarind is grown mostly in Phetchabun. Sweet
Tamarind Day is thus organised in Phetchabun to celebrate the harvest of this
fruit. This day is also called Phetchabun’s Agricultural Day. During the
festival, farmers bring their sweet tamarind to sell at reasonable price at Phetchabun’s
provincial athletic field where contests of sweet tamarind and other crops are
held. Besides this, there are other agricultural exhibitions and entertainment
organised during the event.The Bathing of Phra Buddha Mahadhamaracha Festival
or Um Phra Dam Nam Ceremony This event is annually held on the
fifteenth day of the waning moon in the 10th lunar month or during
the Sat Thai period, in September. Phra Buddha Mahadhamaracha is a highly revered
ancient Buddha image of Phetchabun. The image was found in the Pasak River by
a group of farmers four hundred years ago and it was then taken to be housed in
Wat Trai Phum. According to a legend, the Buddha image was disappeared twice from
the temple and was later found in water. It was said that the Buddha image itself
had wandered out of the temple. Therefore, the ritual bathing ceremony is held.
The ceremony starts at 1 p.m. The image is carried around town and put under a
tent in Wat Trai Phum, so Buddhists can pay respect to it and stick gold leaf
on its body. In the evening, prayers are chanted. At night, there are various
kinds of entertainment. The next morning, people make merit as it is Sat Thai
Day. Foods, including Krayasat, and other necessities are given to monks. The
Buddha image is then taken to be immersed in the Pasak River by the governor of
Phetchabun and traditional dances are performed to show respect to it. After the
ceremony, the water in the river is regarded as sacred. As a result, plople swim
in it or take the water to drink before the boat racing begins.
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