@varsenex: The Yi Ping Festival began as a celebration for monks who were successfully sworn into monkhood, but over time it became less common at temples. With the rise of curious tourists, Chiang Mai created spaces for visitors to release lanterns outside the city. Many Thai people I spoke to mentioned they don’t celebrate this event and instead focus on the traditional Loy Krathong festival. In northern Thailand, these two festivals now overlap, creating a weekend of celebrations. I drove out an hour to experience the lantern release once, but it’s not something I would do again, as it is largely a tourist attraction. Instead, I handmade a krathong (a traditional banana leaf float) earlier in the day and bought another to bring home. I lit up the pond in my garden with those I share this land with, releasing negative energy from the past year, honoring the spirits, and celebrating the real tradition as it’s meant to be—shared with your community. Still, I’m glad I got to witness it at least once.

Varsana 🏳️‍🌈

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Sunday 17 November 2024 05:38:11 GMT