Get ready to embrace tradition and celebrate nature’s bounty as we dive into the captivating world of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony being held on 17th May 2023! Also referred to as Farmer’s Day or the Ploughing Festival, this exuberant event symbolises the exciting kick-off of the rice-growing season.
With deep-rooted origins in numerous Asian countries, including Thailand and Cambodia, the Royal Ploughing Ceremony is an auspicious beginning of this vital agricultural cycle.
Join us on this remarkable journey as we delve into the timeless essence of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony. Experience the unity, vibrancy, and significance of this annual extravaganza that unites communities and honours the vital cycle of rice cultivation.
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History of Royal Ploughing Ceremony
Ancient Southeast Asia has witnessed the presence of animistic rituals intertwined with agricultural practices since time immemorial. With the influence of Hinduism, most nations melded harmoniously with the existing animistic customs.
The inception of the Royal Ploughing ceremonial rites traces its origin to the profound narrative of the Ramayana. Within the pages of the great Indian epic, the ceremony assumes its prominence. The story talks about Janak, the king of Mithila, who witnessed a miraculous emergence of an infant girl from the earth’s embrace. The prodigious child later became Sita, the indomitable heroine of the epic. Her name signifies her connection to the sacred act of ploughing.
Influenced by the tenets of Hinduism, the venerable ceremony took root in Thailand during the Sukhothai Era (1238-1438). It coexisted with another auspicious Buddhist ritual known as Phuetcha Mongkhon, or the “auspicious plantation,” colloquially referred to as the Royal Harvest Festival. Over time, the intricacies of this auspicious ceremony have undergone subtle modifications.
How Royal Ploughing Ceremony is Held?
Known as ‘Kan Phuetchamongkhon‘ in Thailand, the festival symbolises strengthening the ties between the monarch, the government and the farmers. In 1957 the government of Thailand declared it as a public holiday.
It usually takes place during May or June, with the exact date decided by the monks, serving as a significant marker for the advent of the rice-growing season.
The ceremony serves a dual purpose: to forecast the impending Harvest and to bestow blessings upon the crops.
The proceedings entail the participation of two revered oxen, lavishly adorned with golden embellishments and other exquisite ornaments. These majestic creatures are harnessed to a plough and gracefully guided towards a symbolic furrow.
The oxen are presented with seven meticulously arranged trays laden with a cornucopia of sustenance, including rice, corn, beans, sesame seeds, grass, water, and wine. The oxen consume these offerings by diligently ploughing, interpreted as a divination of the forthcoming Harvest.
Following the ploughing ritual, the seeds and water are sanctified by monks and Brahmins, invoking blessings upon them. The organisers distribute the surplus provisions to the less fortunate, ensuring their well-being and giving them a sense of inclusion in this sacred celebration.
Typically a distinguished figure from the royal family or an esteemed government official supervises the grand event.
The Two Parts of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony
Cultivating Ceremony
Located within the esteemed Grand Palace Complex in Bangkok, the sacred grounds of Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, serve as the setting for this segment.
Amidst this solemn occasion, the reigning monarch, or their designated representative, graces the proceedings. In a display of utmost reverence, they tenderly present the ceremonial ring and sword to the esteemed Lord of the Harvest, signifying the transfer of symbolic authority.
During the ceremony, monks pour an offering of lustral water with sacred blessings over the hands and forehead of the Lord of the Harvest. Signifying the purification of his being and imbuing him with divine favour.
Ploughing Ceremony
The day following the private cultivating ceremony marks the celebration of the unfolding of the ploughing ceremony. In adherence to time-honoured customs, the designated venue for this revered event is the Sanam Luang ceremonial ground.
The ceremony begins its sacred proceedings between 8:19 AM and 08:49 AM. The inaugural act starts with the Lord of the Harvest’s selection of a single folded garment from three options, each holding power to foretell the rainfall that shall grace the forthcoming season.
The length of the chosen garment portends the anticipated precipitation, with the longest fabric suggesting minimal rainfall, while the shortest garment heralds a bountiful deluge.
The next moment holds immense significance as the appointed Lord of the Harvest, accompanied by an entourage of sacred oxen, priests, umbrella bearers, musicians, and four celestial maidens, gracefully proceeds. These ethereal maidens carry baskets overflowing with rice seeds, adding to the captivating spectacle.
Together, they embark on a symbolic ploughing of the hallowed ceremonial ground, diligently traversing its expanse in a ceremonious procession spanning three circuits. The resounding echoes of conches and drumbeats reverberate through the air, encapsulating the palpable aura of this grand spectacle.
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