Days shift into months, months into years, and so our stay in Chiang Mai had extended to over 3 years, though we hadn't expected to stay this long.
We are Shan people of Myanmar, and like many Myanmar have taken refuge in Thailand at present. Though we are staying in Thailand, many are yearning to go back to our own country, to our own people, and to our own homes and customs. But being not able to do so at present, we try to maintain a peaceful life, follow our customs as much as we can , especially Buddhist traditions, because most of us are Buddhists.
Now.... the most anticipated festival has arrived. The Thingyan Festival, where water splashing over each other is the most significant and enjoyed by mostly young people, in Myanmar, Thailand, and some other countries. My husband and I are old people,so enjoying the water festival is out of the question for us. But we have to follow some other merit-making activities.
Welcoming Thingyan is one activity every household does in our country. We usually fill an earthen pot with some herbs and plants that people think would bring us luck and at the same time ward off dangers and evil beings, with some flowers and decorated small umbrellas made of gold paper and triangular flags, and put it on an auspicious place for a few days.
And then every Shan household would make khou moon haw, a snack made with sticky rice powder and juggery, wrapped in a banana leaf and then steamed. This snack is made to offer to the Buddha and also to distribute to neighbours. Other merit-making activities include paying homage to elders, going to monasteries with offerings, pouring clean, fragrant water on Buddha statues, etc....But for young people, it is needless to say that they enjoy merry making of pouring water on each other, that this has come to be known as ' Water Festival ' the most important festival of the year....
Though merry making is not for us, I can still follow other traditions like going to monasteries with offerings. So I try to go to a monastery, even if not to many, without fail at Thingyan and Thadingyut. Chiengmai is a city with countless wats and pagodas, and monasteries. But we cannot go to Thai monasteries because offerings and blessings are in the Thai language that we don't understand. I learned that there are also many Shan monasteries where Shan people attend on auspicious days. I enquired from people who know and also search for them on the internet, and I have come to know some of them.
Until now, I had been to six Shan monasteries, and I want to share them with friends who may want to know. This is also an English version of my Facebook post of yesterday...
1..... Wat Pa Pao.... there is an old Burmese-style pagoda and some old buildings there, and it is in the centre of the city on the Canal Road. I think this is the best-known Shan monastery here...
2.....Wat Hsai Moan.... this is a Myanmar/ Shan monastery located on the Canal Road opposite Wat Pa Pao. The residing monk is from Myanmar, and Karen, Shan, and other ethnic people attended there. Once attending there, we encountered a festival, packed with people at its fullest.
3.....Wat Ku Man Mongkon Chai....Situated on Doi Saket Road, the construction was still going on when we attended in 2024. We encountered a Shan novitiation ceremony there....I didn't notice the name of the monastery then, but got it only from the photo taken there. (Photos are of great use because they show not only the date, but also the place )
4.....Wat Ku Tao..... A Shan monastery with an exquisite pagoda like 5 watermelons stacked on one another. It is famous among the Shan people, and there are novitiating ceremonies every summer.
5....Wat Ta Gradat....Yesterday we attended this monastery. Learned about it from an acquaintance and the location from the net. The most significant building at this monastery is a prayer hall with a brick ladder decorated with big coiled dragons on both sides.
6....Wat Tiya Sathan.....Attended this monastery last Thadingyut.When we came out, our grandson Sai Ollie was nearly bitten by a dog. Not serious, but just a scratch with its teeth on one finger. But we were worried and hurried back to go to a clinic to get vaccinated, so we couldn't get photos except 2, which I took hurriedly.It is also from this photo that I got its name. After my Facebook post, a friend commented that this monastery was primarily built by a Shan man, U Tiya.
As I have mentioned above, there are endless wats and monasteries in Chiang Mai. We believe we gain merit to go to monasteries with offerings because it is a kind of dana(giving ), which would be a help for a better next life. Besides this meeting and mingling with our own Shan people in our own dresses is also a pleasant experience. So I will try to go to more Shan places of worship in the future if my health still permits me.....
No comments:
Post a Comment