In Thailand, the month of July is expected with devotion, as they celebrate two of the most important festivals of the country: the Asanha Puja and the Candles’ Festival.
The Asanha Puja celebrate the Buddha’s first sermon at Varanasi (India) during the full moon. According to the legend, it is said that the divine illumination came to Buddha during a full moon day and therefore, this event commemorates the establishment of Buddhism, both lifestyle and religion.
One of the main features of this festival is that pilgrims make donations of gifts to the temples and listen carefully to the sermons of Buddhist monks.
During the month of July also it is celebrated the beautiful Candle Festival in Ubon Ratchathani, a city in the northeast of Thailand which large candles are made manually full of details that then are carried in procession through the city, making this festival one of the most magical and worth seeing. We must clarify that the candles are not made entirely of wax, but they are made of wood or plaster and then covered with beeswax.
Currently, besides the parade, it takes place a competition of giant candles representing different themes, such as scenes of Hindu and Buddhist mythology consciousness carved several days earlier. The parade ends at the temples and candles illuminate the many images of Buddha.
If you are planning to visit Thailand during the month of July, you can not miss these festivals that you will enjoy and deepen the Asian culture. Of course, you should be careful with the monsoons, as these festivals also announce the onset of the monsoon season in Asia, so you should take care the strong winds.
