A wealthy Thai Sikh family donated more than 4 million baht, including 200 royally sanctioned robes, to Pattaya’s Chaimongkol Temple for its annual end-of-rainy season festival.
More than 200 people attended the Oct. 24 “Thod Kathin” ceremony where Savinder Kaur Gulati and Mohinder Singh presented the robes obtained through the Royal Household to Abbot Pisan Jariyaphiwat and 50 monks.
Mohinder Singh (2nd right) and Savinder Kaur Gulati (left) and their family bring the Thod Kathin robes from home to Wat Chaimongkol.
Along with donations of meats, desserts and beverages, the Gulati family presented total donations worth more than 4.4 million baht. An additional 1 million baht in cash donations raised from temple patrons was also presented.
“My family has been working in Pattaya for 35 years and my family status and finances have grown over that time. My wife and I believe that we must do good for society by repaying for our homes and careers,” Gulati said. “I learned that the Thod Kathin merit-making ceremony is a Buddhism ceremony bringing merit so I wanted to take this opportunity for this temple as my home and shop are in the same neighborhood.”
While Pisan arranged for the robes to be donated by the Royal Household, the fact they were provided for the Thai Sikh family to present said much about their social standing, the abbot said.
The Thod Kathin ceremony is a Buddhist tradition held at the end of rainy season. The festival generally lasts for a month and is a time for temple patrons to express gratitude to monks. Robes are the most-common gifts lay Buddhists bring to make merit.
