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Kandungan
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BUDDHIST MONKS PERFORM AGE-OLD RITUAL
HEAVE HO... Some of the 500 Buddhist
devotees pulling a Thai dragon barge carrying nine monks in an age-old ritual at
the Thamkhirivong Wat in Pendang (Kg. Padang Pusing), about 30km from Alor Setar,
yesterday. Holding onto a 100m rattan rope tied to
the flat-bottom barge with no wheels, the devotees took about an hour from
9.30am to pull the barge to an open field about 1km away, signifying the end of
the monk's three-month meditation. An air of festivity prevailed during the
procession, which was accompanied by dancers and musicians playing Thai
devotional songs during the Chak Phra Festival. According to the temple's senior monk,
Phra Pallad Phat, the festival is held annually on the first day of the 11th
month of the Thai calendar. "We have been observing the tradition
for generations and the barge has been used for more than 20 years," he
said. "The festival can help promote Thai
culture as well as become one of Kedah's tourist attractions," he said. He added that it was an arduous task to
pull the 4m by 3m wooden barge, which had metal pieces on its flat bottom
instead of wheels. The religious festival attracted hundreds
of Buddhist devotees, who took the day off to bring their families and friends
to join in the celebrations. - STARpic by EMBUN MAJID -- The Star
pada 4 Oktober 2001 Thai Chak
Phra festival to be tourist attraction
PENDANG, Wed. _ The 'Chak Phra' festival,
marking the end of three months of seclusion by new monks at their respective
wat or Buddhist temples, will be another tourist attraction in the state. The colourful and traditional event, held
once a year at the Thamkiriwong wat in Padang Pusing near here, is celebrated by
the Thai community. The chief monk of the temple, Phra Palad
Phat hoped that the Culture, Arts and Tourism Ministry could include the
festival in the tourism calendar. The festival highlighted the co-operation
and unity among the Thai community, he told reporters after attending the
festival at Padang Pusing. During the festival, some 500 villagers
pulled a 2,000kg dragon boat, with seven monks and three drum beaters aboard, to
a destination some one kilometre away. _ BERNAMA. -- New Straits Times pada 4 Oktober 2001 |
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on 19-12-02
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