Welcome to Sanambin School

Sanambin is a government K-9 school in Khon Kaen city in north east Thailand ::: Sanambin School has many fine traditions and excellent Thai and foreign staff who enjoy teaching English.
We hope this little blog will grow to reflect the interests and passions of our students and staff ::: We want you to see that learning English can be exciting and rewarding.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

The Krathin Festival In Thailand

At Sanambin School, we celebrate Kathin every year. This year the whole school will assemble on Friday, November 5, for our Robe-Giving Ceremony.
 
You may like to see a video our students prepared
with help from Aj Somnuk Pongtepin.
 
The Thai ceremony of Krathin - Boon Krathin - is a traditional Buddhist festival that gets its name from Krathin robes worn by ordained Buddhist monks.
The Thai lunar calendar reckons Krathin to be the day after the 11th full moon as Raem 1 Kham Deuan 11 - Waning 1 Evening Moon 11. On Owk-Pansa, the day of the full moon, villagers and city dwellers go to the local temple for prayers and to pay respect to the monks at the end of their Vassa retreat.
Across Northeast Thailand, the Krathin Festival is celebrated in villages and cities with colorful parades and offering ceremonies at local temples.
 
In Bangkok, the presentation of Kathin by the King of Thailand or his representative is called the Royal Krathin Ceremony. It is a very special occasion when people from all over the world gather to see a Procession of the Royal Barge.
 

The Origins Of Krathin

Here is a brief version of how the Krathin began ..

Legend has it that 30 bhikkhus went on a journey, intending to spend Vassa with Gautama Buddha, when the rains began early.
 
According to Buddha's guidelines for Vassa, mendicant monks should not travel in the rainy season as they may unintentionally harm crops or insects during their journey. So the monks were obliged to stop before reaching their destination.
 
 
After their delayed arrival, the Buddha rewarded them for demonstrating wisdom, and gave them a way to practice sharing and generosity. A lay disciple had previously donated cloth to the Buddha. Now the Buddha gave that cloth to the group of monks and told them to make a robe - and then to offer it to one of them as a gift.
 
The monks made the garment using a Krathina frame to stretch the cloth while it was being sewn. Ah, so there's where the Festival gets its name!

 
How do you feel when someone gives you a gift?

What is Krathin?

Krathin is a Buddhist festival that comes at the end of Vassa, the three-month rainy season retreat for Theravada Buddhists. It's a time of giving, when lay people express their gratitude to monks by bringing donations to the temple.
 
For a more detailed view of the traditions behind Krathin,
please enjoy the video - with sub-titles in English.

 
The gifts at this festival include new robes for the monks, a practice that reflects the origins of Krathin. The robe-giving ceremony is a highlight of the festival.
 
A monastery may hold a Krathin festival during the month that begins after the full moon of the eleventh month in the Lunar calendar - usually October.