Friday evening, Christina and I traveled up to the province of Nan, where another volunteer, Sean lives and works. Our main purpose for going to visit him is to help with an English camp that will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday at his site. However, we decided to travel up early to see his site (nestled in the moutains of northern Thailand) and celebrate Loy Gratong day with him.
mountain view near Sean's house - during a bike ride.
Loy (float) Gratong (basket) day is a traditional Thai festival during which everyone makes "baskets" - really ordimental floating leaf and flower arrangements - and releases them onto the river. Before floating your gratong you are supposed to say a prayer. Traditionally, the prayers were for a good harvest (as rice harvest starts next week). However, any prayer will do.
Christina and Sean work on their grantongs
My finished grating
This may be my favorite Thai festival - it is peaceful and beautiful. The flowers, insence and sparklers that people put in their gratongs shimmer and sparkle as they float down the river. Last year in Korat, we had the festival at the man made pond in the center of town. This year we actually got to do it at the river.
After everyone releases their gratongs, many people purchase small hot air baloons which they release into the sky. Sean had a small one, we lit it and watched it float up into the light-speckled sky.
1 comment:
Wow...sounds like a really fun Loy Gratong! They had one in Cambodia, while I was there, but the gratongs wernt nearly as pretty there as they were made of plastics and styraphome. But, what was cool there was you gave them to little boys that swam them out to the center of the river. Miss you hunni! Cant wait to see you in a few weeks
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