The Hae Pha Kuen That ritual is unique to the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Holy cloth, known as Phra bot, is draped around the stupa in a merit-making ritual.
The custom reflects a form of communal merit-making designed to strengthen community spirit and foster unity and has been diligently observed for some 800 years. According to Buddhist belief, participation in communal merit-making earns an individual more merit.
The International Makha Bucha Hae Pha Khuen That Festival and the ritual draping of the holy cloth will be held at Si Thammasokarat Park and Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan Temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Makha Bucha Day (Māgha Pūjā in Pali) commemorates two separate events that occurred on the same date 45 years apart, during the Buddha’s lifetime 2,500 years ago. The first event was the coming together of 1,250 monks from all locations and directions, to meet and be ordained by the Buddha. This event occurred seven months after the Buddha began his teaching. The second event, which occurred 45 years later, was the Buddha delivering his teachings shortly before his death. Both of these events occurred on the day of the full moon of the third lunar month, a month known in the Buddhist Pali language as ‘Makha’. The ‘Bucha’, also a Pali word, means to venerate or to honour. Thus, Makha Bucha Day is for the veneration of Lord Buddha and his teachings on the full moon day of the third lunar month.
Several countries have been invited to participate in this year’s festival in an effort to promote cross-border religious tourism. These include Sri Lanka, India, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan.
Date: 13-15 February 2012
Location: Nakhon Si Thammarat
For more information: TAT Nakhon Si Thammarat Office
Tel: +66 (0) 7534 6515-6
Hae Pha Khuen That Festival
