More than 1,000 citizens with Chinese ancestry and Thai citizens participated in the start of the vegetarian festival at the Sawang Boriboon Thummasathan Foundation on the 26th of September.
Pattaya City Mayor Itthipol Kunplome joined Chonburi MP, Sansak Ngamphichet, Transport Ministry Secretary, Chanyuth Hengtrakul, President of Sawang Boriboon Thummasathan Foundation, Visith Chaolitnitithum and other local councilors in the grand celebration.
The mayor stated that the festival this year was entitled ‘Pattaya City’s Prosperous Vegetarian Festival Fulfillment in Heart and Merit, 2011’ and he was delighted to see so many tourists coming to witness the colorful event.
There was a colorful and exciting parade that was followed by a ceremony praying for the Chinese deities to be present at the vegetarian hall.
The highlight was of the day included the amazing fried rice cooked in giant pans with ingredients such as rice, mushrooms & tofu which were then distributed into over 5,000 bowls for the devotees along with peaches.
The cooking ceremony involved the 9 ingredients of the ‘Amazing Fried Rice’ such as cashew nuts, gaoluk, mushroom, shitake mushroom, Chinese jujube, lotus seeds, peas with the summoning of Chieng-Sue or 8 great masters to impress Mai-Kee or the three-direction stick held by two disciples whilst the women chanting, in the front row, are called Keng-Chu.
The five men, in the front, are the representative spiritual beings of Buddhism who are believed to be the 8 great masters, highly sacred with supernatural stories and believed to bring good merit to the people who summoned the lords.
Simirlar event was held in Sattahip, Mr. Narong Boonbunjerdsri the President of Sawangroj Thummasathan, along with the organizing committee and local residents paraded around Sattahip with incense burners of the 7 deities to be lit at the ceremonial spot at Chaithalay road, in front of the Property office, this was to summon the 7 deities to impress upon the base at Sien-Sue, Sawangroj Thummasathan, for the worshipers to pay homage and to fast for 11days.
The festival is held annually as many believe that refraining from eating meat along with worshiping the seven ancient lords and 2 lords of Phraphothisat, known as ‘The Nine Planet Lords’, that will add prosperity to life.
This tradition has been upheld by Chinese living in Thailand and eventually spread to the locals and has been practiced for generations and has become a sensation that has also promoted tourism.
