During the school break, young boys from the Tai Yai ethnic group in Mae Hong Son will take part in the annual mass novice ordination ceremony known as Poi Sang Long.
The three-day event is colourful and vibrant and takes place at many temples throughout the province from now until April 22.
Poi Sang Long is a Tai Yai term. Poi refers to a religious event, sang (short for chao sang) means novice and long refers to an enlightened person. The ceremony is also known as buat luk kaeo in the northern dialect, which means the ordination of a beloved son.
As devoted Buddhists, the Tai Yai believe that being ordained is a great honour for the boys and their families. As the boys can become sang long only once in their lifetimes, the celebrations are lavish.
It starts with the hair shaving ceremony before dawn on the first day. The novices-to-be then put on make-up, colourful long-sleeved shirts and long trousers, silver belts, flower headdresses, glittering gems and jewellery. Their fingernails are painted bright colours. The elaborate costumes make the boys look like little princes. The idea is to remind them that they will soon be reborn to a simple life of monkhood.
They are then carried on the shoulders of their male relatives, as their feet must not touch the ground at all during the day-long procession. In this way, the boys pay homage to monks and relatives and ask for blessings and forgiveness.
The second day features a parade called Hae Khrua Lu. Locals carry the sang long in a procession, while others carry offerings to be used by the novices-to-be as well as other traditional items such as candles and flowers. The parade is accompanied by a marching band and folk band playing gongs, drums and cymbals.
The third day is the ordination day, known as Wan Lu. The novices don saffron robes and stay in a temple studying dhamma.
The Poi Sang Long ceremony in Muang district will be held at Wat Huai Sai Khao on March 28-30, Wat Pha Bong Nuea March 28-31, Wat Hua Wiang April 2-5 (expected to be the grandest celebration), Wat Mai Hung April 8-10 and Wat Mok Cham Pae April 19-22.
Wat Sri Don Chai in Pai district also will host the ceremony from April 9-13.
For more information about the celebration visit the Thai language Facebook Fan Page of TAT Mae Hong Son at http://bit.ly/2JyqYPx or call 053-612-982 to 3.
