Asanha Puja celebrates the first sermon that was given by the Lord Buddha to his first five disciples. It is celebrated the day before Lent which is known as Khao Pansa. Two hundred students from Sriwittayapaknam School took part in a special merit-making ceremony at Noi Suwannaram Temple. Many of the student's parents had donated money, food and basic essentials which was presented to the monks during this ceremony. The school had also bought and decorated a 1.5 metre tall candle which was about twenty cms in diameter. The idea is for the candle to be alight continuously in the temple for the entire three months of the Buddhist Lent.

The ceremony started with a procession around the main temple.

This was led by the school band and six Matayom students carrying the heavy candle.

They were followed by students carrying gifts for the monks. As at other religious ceremonies the students and teachers walked around the temple three times in a clockwise direction. Afterwards the procession moved onto the Wihan, which is the main building in the temple grounds.

For more information about Buddhism in Thailand, please visit our Project Thailand website.

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Buddhism at School | Ashana Puja Day | Makha Puja Day | Wisakha Day | Tamboon