Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival
At the start of the Lenten period, it's traditional in preparation for the rainy season for the devout Buddhist followers to donate to items for the personal use of monks, who remain in the wats for the next three months, and of candles to dispel gloom in their quarters and elsewhere within the temple and grounds. The latter is often the core event of many of the celebration is local villages, but is at its most elaborate in the Ubon Ratchathani city centre.
Today it is a major event both for residents and for tourists, where giant candles are paraded through the town on trailers, each representing a local temple, local district or other institutions. The more elaborate versions are accompanied by scenes of Hindu and Buddhist mythology sculpted in wood or plaster and coated with wax. The candles are never burned but are melted down and re-used the following year. |
The candles are taken to Thung Si Mueang On Asanha Bucha day. This is a park in the middle of the city where they are decorated and then exhibited in the evening. On the same evening, there are small processions with lighted candles at several temples.
The parade takes place on the morning of Wan Kao Pansa and candles are paraded through the city centre on floats along Phalorangrit Road, normally accompanied by representatives of the respective institutions, and these are normally dancers or musicians (or both) in traditional dress. Part of the road is lined both sides with small stands for better viewing but to get a seat you need to arrive very early. As the parade starts around 8.30 in the morning, you will probably need to arrive at least one hour before hand to get this advantageous viewpoint. |
The larger sculptures, from what I can gather, take in the region of 2 months to make at a cost of around 900,000 baht (just short of £20,000). Just where this money comes from I am not sure but would guess it is partially from the local people in the form of donations throughout the year and a hefty subsidy from the Thai government.
Ubon Ratchathani is very, very busy during this parade, and in the evening it is almost as busy again. The parade in the evening does not look quite as spectacular as the lighting is very poor for the most part and nearly all the dancers have long gone home. There is an enormous market adjacent to the road where the parade is focused
Ubon Ratchathani is very, very busy during this parade, and in the evening it is almost as busy again. The parade in the evening does not look quite as spectacular as the lighting is very poor for the most part and nearly all the dancers have long gone home. There is an enormous market adjacent to the road where the parade is focused
To find out a little more about Ubon Ratchathani, have a look at one of my blog articles - A Trip to Ubon Ratchathani