The Blissful Loy Krathong Festival in Thailand
Thailand is a titan of ultra-modern ambience, an epicentre of gleaming shopping centres and a hub of jovial festivals interwoven with devoted Buddhism. Ranked as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Thailand offers wondrous sites and sounds that create memories for a lifetime. Thailand hosts many aboriginal unique festivals that are well known to tourists. This nation is not only the land of smiles but also a land of many festivals! Throughout the year travellers may find an array of celebrations, traditional festivals and events that are celebrated all over Thailand.
Loy Krathong “The Festival of Lights”
Loy Krathong is one of the most admired and romantic of Thailand’s traditional festivals. The festival is held on the night of the 12th full moon, which lands some time in November. The festival is celebrated in honour of the goddess of rivers, Mae Kong Kha. Loy Krathong festival is celebrated throughout Thailand and the waterways around the country sparkle with candle lights during the period. Loy Krathong is a big night for lovers and is celebrated by countless enthusiastic locals and tourists. Couples seek blessings on this day to enjoy enduring love. This grand festival certainly is a blissful event for couples contemplating luxury holidays to Thailand.
Origin of Loy Krathong Festival
It is believed that this festival of quiet celebrations started in Sukhothai (north Bangkok), which was one of the most dominant cities in Asia, around 800 years ago. Whatever the belief may be, it is one magical not-to-be-missed event!
Loy is the Thai word for”float”, while Krathong literally means a cup or bowl made out of banana leaves. Loy Krathong is celebrated by floating elaborate krathongs decorated with flowers, candles and incense on just about any watercourse in the Thailand.
Over the years, this festival has been a key draw for couples from far and wide making Thailand a compelling destination.
Places to Enjoy Loy Krathong
Loy Krathong is celebrated nationwide. However, Thai celebration of Loy Krathong originated in Sukhothai (North Bangkok). An interesting sound and light show is put in the city on the eve of this propitious festival. The event organised in Sukhothai is quite remarkable, but it is more easily accessible for tourists with luxury Thailand holiday packages rather than independent travellers.
Bangkok, one of the popular festival venues, offers better chance of partaking in this enchanting festival as the prominent hotels here usually host a special evening so that guests taking luxury holidays to Bangkok can join in the celebrations by setting afloat their krathongs on the River Chao Paraya.
The week-long celebrations held in Chiang Mai are by far the most interesting. This city puts up several stage shows and a parade of giant krathongs which adds to a magical sight that can’t really be captured in a picture!
Partaking in the Celebrations
This auspicious festival is celebrated with overwhelming joy and those taking holidays to Bangkok may easily locate scores of rough and ready stalls selling ‘krathongs’ along the streets. Great care is taken to decorate the krathongs with flowers and banana leaves, leaving room for the candles and 3 sticks of incense. Tourists can release their krathongs once the sun sets and the full moon comes in sight. As per the traditional folklores, if the krathong floats ahead, the coming year might bring good fortune.
On releasing the krathong, people usually place their strands of hair and coins into the krathong. The belief being, the sins of the past year will be washed away. For the romantic at heart and young couples, Loy Krathong is the time to make a wish for mutual contentment and long-lasting love.
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