Thai Vegetarian Festival with a bizarre

This is an annual Vegetarian Festival in Thailand. Synchronization is based on the Chinese calendar and this year was the end of October. This is a ten-day event, which is more or less observed throughout Thailand. In most places, it simply means that the food vendors to sell some courts go vegetarian.

But to turn in parts of southern Thailand, a bizarre events. The origin of this festival dates back to 1825 when a Chinese opera company fell TravelSeriously ill and was able to cure themselves by eating a vegetarian diet and ritual ceremonies. Who has impressed the Chinese community in Thailand and have decided to create an annual festival to celebrate and promote vegetarian this healing method for self-determination.

The festival is observed mainly by Thais of Chinese origin. To clean the body and mind eating vegetarian for a few days, alcohol and sex, and wear the white boxClothing during the festival. This seems harmless enough, but there is another aspect.

Hundreds of people commit acts of self harm by piercing their cheeks with swords, needles, metal rods, bayonets and other equipment. They fight with sharp objects until their blood flowed, they go up a ladder, knives and go on a bed of coals, all barefoot.

One might think that should scream with pain, but it is the opposite ofHomes. Self-mutilation are in a trance, feel no pain, and there is virtually no bleeding, if they get the point. After removal of the goods, the wounds close quickly, without bleeding and without scars. They are convinced that the Chinese people to protect them from evil, and seems to work. Every year the exercise of their cruel acts of courage and self-mutilation, but after everything is finished, the participants are not only good health to be restored, but they feel and purified and closer to their gods.

The atmosphere is electric. Thousands of fireworks are growing like the sound of machine gun. The coaches are very happy to "white" in processions, and many people are possessed by spirits, entering a trance state and become a spirit medium. There's quite a spectacle, and if you do not see it, is hard to believe.

People bring their household gods and help them in colorful processions. And 'tasty> Vegetarian food for sale everywhere. Ceremonies are held in several Chinese temples, where the gods come and asked to blow all the time of firecrackers and drums are beaten, all caused so much noise as possible, as lucky, and also serves the evil spirits. distribute all ends with the expulsion of fireworks and a giant screen on the last day.

Some of the advantages of the festival will be a purification of body and mind, aPacification of the gods, the promotion of healthy eating and good hygiene, evidence of supernatural forces, and the development of an inner state of peace. For a foreigner, may be the spirit of expansion or crazy experience an aspect of Thai culture that can not be explained reasonably demonstrated. Some things in life will always remain a mystery.

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