Big Buddha Temple and Loy Krathong Festival – Pattaya, Thailand
Big Buddha Temple (วัดพระใหญ่) is a Buddhist temple located on a hill in Pattaya City, Thailand. In the temple at the top of the hill there is a large statue of Buddha, which is reached by a staircase with two huge dragons on the sides.
Loy Krathong (ลอยกระทง) is a Thai festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and in nearby countries. Outside Thailand, this festival is celebrated under different names, including Myanmar as the “Tazaungdaing festival”, Sri Lanka as “Il Full Moon Poya”, China as “Lantern Festival”.
The name could be translated as “to float ritual vessel or lamp,” and comes from the tradition of making krathong or buoyant, decorated baskets, which are then floated on a river.
Many Thais use the krathong to thank the Goddess of Water and River, Goddess Khongkha (พระแม่คงคา) or to worship the Holy Buddha’s hair pagoda in heaven in Buddhist beliefs.
Loy Krathong takes place on the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, thus the exact date of the festival changes every year. In the Western calendar this usually falls in the month of November.
This festival traces its origin back to India.
From the breathtaking lantern-lit skies to the serene waterways adorned with floating krathongs, Pattaya transforms into a magical wonderland during this celebration.
Video Source: New Life here in Pattaya Thailand from Walking In My Shoes Thailand on Youtube ⁄ CC BY
