Loy Krathong. Summer in the middle of winter

November 6 was the November full moon and Thailand celebrated the spectacular and warm Loy Krathong holiday. In beauty, solemnity, and concept, it is not inferior to the New Year and Christmas. Lights, flowers, candles, incense, water, music, and the main warmth of Thailand inspire a new countdown and emotional cleansing.

I happened to visit one of the most beautiful and widely celebrated holidays in Thailand.

Loy Krathong is now considered a Buddhist holiday, although its roots are in animism or spirit worship. The ritual is quite simple - make a boat of flowers and launch it into the water with a burning candle, which symbolizes the departure of the negative and at the same time a tribute to various deities of nature. The very name of the holiday is translated as "floating boat of flowers." A lit candle symbolizes the light of the Buddha's teachings for Thais.

Even in the morning on the day of the holiday, flower boats are sold everywhere, but last year I was lucky to meet a wonderful woman who taught me how to make Krathong on my own. The craft is simple, but the pleasure of the process and the scope for imagination are endless. So, you can pick flowers yourself, but it is better to go to a flower shop, such as this one:

Krathong is based on the stem and leaves of a banana tree. Now it will be more difficult to get them on your own). The stems are porous and soaked in water - ideal for planting flowers that will not wither for several hours.

One must not forget to buy banana leaves, with which the krathong is "sheathed" along the edge, and from which the "sails" of the boat are made. For fastening, ordinary safety pins are used, which are sold right there. And of course, flowers!

Among the lotuses and colorful orchids, an ordinary clover suddenly met.

Small white flowers Dok Rak ("flower of love") are another important part of any krathong. Each such flower on an individual pin traditionally crowns the "sails" of the boat.

Here, instead of Dok Rak, plastic tips are used, the new krathong is a trend. It is believed that the use of plastic flowers helps to preserve wildlife and not harm it. I totally agree. Although the question remains what happens to plastic flowers after the holiday? But this is a topic for another article.

Another sacred flower for krathong is a kind of marigold, beloved by Buddhist monks of a bright orange color. My Thai friend, who taught me how to make a ritual object, especially singled it out and said that it must be in the center as a symbol of joy and fire.

Incense sticks and candles decorated with paper flowers. To appease all spirits, it is better to use both.

So, the hull of the boat is made of a floating and light banana stem.

Along the edges of the krathong, sails made of banana leaves of any shape and degree of twisting protect - which is enough for imagination and patience. Krathong can be multistory.

Traditionally, accents are placed with small white Dok Rak flowers.

The rest of the flowers are carefully inserted into the departments of the banana stem.

For spirits, it is customary to put coins, fruits, and other food. In order for all misfortunes and illnesses to sail away, the Thais send a lock of their hair with the krathong. Before launching, everyone touchingly lights candles and sticks from each other.

Thais make a wish and think about something sometimes seriously, sometimes with a smile, trying to push the krathong as far from the coast as possible. It is believed that if the boat sailed briskly and far away, the spirits accepted it and now everything will be fine with you.

Hundreds of burning flower boats look very romantic. And above them fly paper lanterns and fireworks. Around the pond or river, where the celebrations take place, there is a market, musical performances, and tree trunks decorated with garlands. Thai songs are slowly pouring out, the drum sounds soft but very vivid. One feels the cyclical nature of life and the approach of elusive happiness.

And even if plastic flowers are in our krathong, it still looks very beautiful and reminds us that we are the children of nature and must live in harmony with it. And then there will be spiritual balance.