|
Each year, Ms Vongsavan, 45, puts on a traditional skirt (sinh) and sash and presents a money tree (kanlon) to monks who are chanting to commemorate the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha during the annual Phravet Festival.
A monk who has received a money tree is carried three times around the temple's main hall of worship.
At her house she prepares food and drinks to welcome friends and relatives who are visiting her family.
Lao people believe that serving food and drinks to their guests during festivals shows a generous spirit and builds solidarity among family, especially serving khao poon (noodle soup), as noodles represent longlasting friendship.
“It may be tiring, but I am happy to see them and for us to have a party together,” Ms Vongsavan says with a smile.
The day before the festival, Ms Vongsavanh carries out the same rituals as her parents before her. She gets up at 2am to join old and young people in her community as they invite Pha Ouphakoud to emerge from the river and the woods and place him in a corner of their temple.
Lao people believe he will protect them from evil spirits during the festival.
On the day of the festival, she decorates her money tree with perfume, candles, books and pens.
She also takes part in a procession, dancing and singing with her friends and neighbours on the streets in her village before gathering to listen to the Phavetsandone - the tale of Lord Buddha's early life at the temple.
She believes that dancing and offering a kanlon will help her find happiness in her next life.
What is Boun Phravet?
Boun Phravet is an annual traditional festival and is celebrated sometime between the second and fourth months of the Buddhist calendar (between January and March).
It is held to commemorate the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha, with monks gathering at temples to recite the ‘Phavetsandone', the tale of Lord Buddha's early life.
Vetsandone was born to Pha Nha Sisonxay and Phanan g Phousadee in Pasexay. When he grew up he married and had two children.
When he replaced his father as ruler, King Vetsandone became known for donating royal treasures such as silver, gold, elephants and horses to his citizens.
He had a white elephant named Pachayanakhen, which was born on the same day as him and considered to be a symbol of luck and fortune for everyone in the kingdom.
One day, eight wise men from Kalingka City came to ask Vetsandone if they could have the white elephant, believing it would help to bring them rain.
Vetsandone agreed to their request, but this angered his people who felt he was too generous and not qualified to be their king, so they expelled him from the city.
He went to live in the forest nearby and gave his children to a couple named Lousaka and Amittata, who thought that adopting the former ruler's children would bring them luck.
Vetsandone also gave away his wife to an old man, who was actually God in disguise. God revealed his identity to Vetsandone and told him he did not have the right to give away his wife or children, who loved him. Too much of a good thing, including generosity, can lead to grief, God told him.
When Lousaka returned to Pasexay and told people about his encounter with Vetsandone, people remembered how happy they had been before they expelled their king. They sent a delegation to the forest and invited Vetsandone to return with his wife and children.
Why do Lao people celebrate Phravet?
Boun Phravet comme-morates the story of Lord Buddha and his great generosity in his last life. Those who listen to monks chanting the 13 verses of the Phavetsandone story can earn merit.
This belief stems from a Buddhist tale that a man called Phra Malai went to heaven and met the god Phasi-Aligymethai, believed to be the next Lord Buddha. He told Phra Malai that if people want to be born into his religion they should listen to the story of Phavetsandone on a single day.
When Phra Malai returned to the world, he told people what he had learned and so the Boun Phravet festival was created.
During the festival, people gather to watch monks perform a ritual to divide the Phavetsandone story into a thousand parts to be chanted.
Some families prepare money trees and offer them to monks when they have finished chanting. The monk is then raised on a bed and carried three times around the temple's main hall of worship.
To bring the festival to a close, people donate rice, fruit, candy and money to monks and novices, as they believe this will bring them good luck and happiness in this life and the next.
|