During the lantern festivals in Thailand, you can see two iconic scenes:
Swarms of sky lanterns flying into the night sky — that is Yi Peng Lantern Festival; and,
Thousands of lotus-shaped baskets with candles and flowers floating on the rivers at night — that is Loy Krathong Festival.
The two Thai lantern festivals usually occur on the full moon day in November. In 2022, Loy Krathong took place on November 8 and Yi Peng took place on November 8–9. Loy Krathong Festival is celebrated nationwide while Yi Peng is only celebrated in northern Thailand, especially in Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is the only place where you can see both Thailand's lantern festivals on the same day.
I started the week with the opportunity to make a hanging lantern. We had been seeing these all around town for the past week, so it was interesting to learn how to make one. We also had the chance to learn a bit about history as we watched a slide show at the Lanna Traditional House.
The following evening, we made Khratong. An important part of the festival is Krathong floating, lotus-shaped vessels containing candles that are floated to bring good luck for the coming year. The candle venerates the Buddha with light, while the Krathong's floating away symbolizes letting go of all one's hatred or anger. The process was really fun, we could create something unique out of leaves and flowers.
That evening, we set off to festival grounds about 45-minutes outside of the city in two Red Deongs for our group. It was surprisingly similar to festival grounds in the US - cars parked in the grass, lots of street food, and attractions. At the festival, we lit large lanterns called khom loi, believed to release negative energy and wish for good luck and good fortune in the coming year. The once-in-a-lifetime experience was completely breathtaking, and I am so grateful to have been able to participate.
Comments