Mae Sariang - Northern Thailand » Festivals http://www.mae-sarieng.com Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:53:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Auk Pansa 2011 http://www.mae-sarieng.com/auk-pansa-2011.html http://www.mae-sarieng.com/auk-pansa-2011.html#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 05:39:24 +0000 http://www.mae-sarieng.com/?p=271 mae sariang information centre 2011 Auk Pansa 2011 festivals

This year’s celebration of the end of the Buddhist Lent (Rain’s Retreat) festival was not marred by the rain. The town’s population is approximately 5000 and it looked like everyone was there!

]]> http://www.mae-sarieng.com/auk-pansa-2011.html/feed 0 Auk Paansa Celebration 2009 http://www.mae-sarieng.com/auk-paansa-celebration-2009.html http://www.mae-sarieng.com/auk-paansa-celebration-2009.html#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:47:42 +0000 http://www.mae-sarieng.com/?p=206 Khow Paansa – or Buddhist Lent -  is a time when monks renew their commitment to follow the precepts of Buddhism. For the three months of the Rainy Season, monks generally remain in their temples, intent on study and meditation.

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Awk Paansa Day marks the end of both Lent and the Rainy Season. It is traditionally held on the first day of the waning moon in the 11th lunar month. In 2009, that was the first weekend of October.

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The streets are brightened up with masses of coloured lights, palm leaves and illuminated paper lanterns, sculptures and structures.

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The celebration culminates with a colorful noisy procession which, in 2009, unfortunately coincided with a torrential downpour!

More images in the Gallery

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