Kongbouat Festival - the beauty of Laos Therawada Buddist Culture

Respectful senior monks and newly ordained monks step over silk sashes placed by merit makers for the monks to step on after they walk from a Naga boat, which is where people pour water over them to wash away any bad spirits. This is the central feature of the Kongbouat festival.
Merit makers at this festival including young and old men and women who sit in a long line from a point close to the Naga boat until the grounds of the sanctuary. Some middle-aged men lay on the ground for the monks to step over their backs, believing the monks will cure their backache.
Merit makers take part in the ordination rituals at the temple and a large group of them invite respectful monks and newly ordained monks to step over their silk sashes, but it’s unlikely that most of them know the meaning of this custom.

Venerable Keo, a senior monk at Sisavangvong temple in Xayaboury district, Xayaboury province, said merit makers offer sashes to respectful monks and newly ordained monks to step over as a sign of respect and to offer their congratulation to monks who are promoted to a new position and have contributed to Buddhist organisations.
This ritual is in evidence as part of merit making during the Konghote and Kongbouat festivals. When these festivals are observed either in a temple or in someone’s home, the organisers and the monks will decorate a Naga boat while the pathway from the boat to the main worship hall will be adorned with leafy banana stems, sugar cane plants and flowers.
According to Venerable Keo, who is on the temple committee, the Konghote and Kongbouat festivals are held at an appropriate time of the year. This depends on the time that is convenient for those involved, as well as their financial circumstances. There is no limit to the number of festivals that may be held. A large number of people may hold nine Konghote festivals and one Kongbouat jointly. Some people will arrange two or one Konghote and Kongbouat festivals.
Venerable Keo said there are various reasons for holding the Kongbouat festival. Some people do it to ordain a son so that he can study Dharma in the temple and pay tribute to his parents, while others want to pay homage to their deceased parents and other relatives. Elderly people use the occasion as a merit-making ritual as they believe the offerings will support them in the next life. People who arrange a Kongbouat festival are aged over 40. It is considered unacceptable for people under 40 to host the festival because it means they will receive their offerings early and will therefore have a short life.
The festivals last for two days. On the first day the offerings are prepared and on the second day there is an almsgiving ceremony in the early morning and lay people take on the role of Nagas to protect the newly ordained monks. Merit makers and guests form a procession with the four Nagas and offerings and walk to the temple after the almsgiving ceremony.

On the first day, friends, relatives and other invited guests come to make merit with the festival organisers and give them money, flowers and milled sticky rice in a bowl. In return, the hosts invite the guests to have lunch and dinner and also give them a bag of snacks. Some guests place offerings in the monks’ bags and bowls. On the evening of the first day, a group of musicians plays traditional music and sings folksongs to entertain the guests.
The second day of merit-making sees the giving of alms, the conversion of people into four Naga and the procession carrying offerings to the temple. When the procession reaches the temple, respectful monks, elderly people, merit makers and the musicians walk three times around the shrine to pay their respects to Lord Buddha.
As the troupe of musicians plays their instruments and sings, participants cheer them to spur them on and create a joyful atmosphere. The merit-makers carry their offerings, comprising a bed, mattress, robes, household utensils and markbeng (a pyramid made of banana leaves, gold paper, flowers, and silver and golden trees hung with kip notes).
After the merit-makers have processed three times around the shrine, the monks begin the religious rituals in the main worship hall to ordain new monks and novices and present offerings.
After the ceremony, the monks who are to be newly ordained, ordained as senior monks or elevated to a higher rank will have water poured over them inside the Naga boat. The merit-makers do this in order to wash away any bad spirits.
The newly ordained monks carry bags and alms bowls from the Naga boat to the main worship hall. Some monks throw sacred water over the participants while some merit-makers throw money mixed with candy, milled sticky rice and flowers.
Merit-makers then invite monks from other temples and the organisers of the Kongbouat festival to take part in a Baci ceremony for the newly ordained monk. The hosts of the festival offer a bowl containing pieces of silver and golden swords to the monk.
Venerable Keo said these items are considered to be a show of support for the monk. The monk is not allowed to sell them, but may give them to someone he holds dear.
There is no limit to the weight of the silver and golden swords given to the monk. The amount given depends on the festival organiser.
The Konghote and Kongbouat festivals are similar, but the Konghote doesn’t involve the presentation of pieces of silver and golden swords.
Invited guests and all laypeople taking part in the merit-making, both at home and in the temple, will wear modest clothing. Women of course wear a sinh (long skirt) and blouse, while men wear trousers.

Source: By Phon Thikeo , Vientiane Times

Feature Laos Cuisine

Laotian food is based on fish, beef, pork, poultry and especially herbs. The food is very spicy and hot, which contains major famous ingredients are herb, rice, chili and fish sauce.
Today we will introduce you some famous Laos dishes and drinks.

1. Feature specialties:
• Sticky rice (best eaten with fingers). Most traditional Lao dishes were designed to accompany with Sticky rice. To keep fingers clean, and rice from dropping into communal food, dishes do not have a liquid consistency.
• Laap (minced meat, fish or vegetables tossed in lime juice, garlic, onions, powdered rice and chillies, accompanied by sticky rice).
• Kai (Water weed from the Mekong River – a Luang Prabang specialty)
• Tam Maak Hung
Another Lao invention is tam maak hung, the spicy green papaya salad known as som tam in Thailand, but which the Lao like to dress with fermented crab and a chunky, intense fish sauce called pa daek, resulting in a stronger flavor than the milder, sweeter Thai style.
• Sindad
This is the typical of Grill & hot pot in Laos style. With a special pot – half grill, half boiled and a laid of tantalizing cuts of well-marinated tenderloin, ribs, pork, shrimp and fresh seafood around, the waiter will fire up the grill and leave you to cook selections to your liking. Meanwhile, they will leave a steaming hotpot to simmer its delights. You can enjoy with a choice of Beer Laos or wine on every restaurant near Mekong River Bank.

• Oh Lam
Oh lam is a stew mainly made from vegetables: beans, eggplants, gourds, black mushrooms, then seasoned with lemongrass, chili, and coriander and finally thickened with sticky rice. Ho or Oh is loosely translated as “to put in”, which implies that this stew is a hodge podge of whatever ingredients are on hand. But the key ingredient is sa kan, a bitter root herb.
• Mok Pa
This special dish is very famous in Luang Prabang, which contains sticky rice, lemon grass, onion, dill, basil leaves, chili and garlic mixed with chicken or fish. Mixed meat and ingredients together and wrapped with banana leave before steam.

2. Feature drinks:
• Lao lao (rice whisky) is popular and there are two brands available (White Champa and Dark Champa)
• Beer Lao.
Enjoy a Food Tour with Asia Reveal's experts to learn more about Laos' Cuisine and Culture!

Morning Alms Giving - A great culture - not the show

The ritual of alms-giving ceremony (Tak Bat) is a ceremony that takes place all day at dawn when the monks get out of their temples to collect offerings from local people. This traditional ceremony is most famous in Luang Prabang – the former capital of Lane Xang, which has 33 ancient Buddhist temples in a total area of 25 ha.

Main features:

Time: Daily at 4: 30 or 5:00 AM
Location: Along all the streets
Where: Nationwide
Offerings: Sticky rice, candies, cookies, Khao Tom (sticky rice steamed inside banana leaves), milk, etc…
Alms Giving Ceremony is held at 4:30 or 5am daily morning. Women dress in traditional way, shoulder is rounded with sweat cloth and flower’s put on hair. Everyone brings food, which is prepared and laid carefully on a silver tray, or in rattan basket, sits on the roadside and wait for silent lines of saffron-clad monks walk down the streets of Luang Prabang to collect alms. The monk pass one by one in front of the devotees and the faithful at the same time, delivered the offerings with their own hands by inserting food inside the metal container that the monks carry. The ritual is done in silence; the monks walk in meditation, and the almsgivers reciprocate with respect by not disturbing the monk’s meditative peace, even when they pass already.
The ceremony is truly an important tourist attraction because of its beauty. However, this is a culture, not a show, being maintained for thousand years.  When tourists don’t know about the customs, their clumsiness can disrupt this ceremony.
 

Tips for traveler when attending Tak Bat:
•    Observe the ritual in silence and contribute an offering only if it is meaningful for you and can do so respectfully.
•    Please buy sticky rice at the local market earlier that morning rather than from street vendors along the monk route.
•    If you do not wish to make an offering, please keep an appropriate distance and behave respectfully. Do not get in the way of the monks’ procession or the believers offerings.
•    Do not stand too close to the monks when taking photographs; camera flashes are very disturbing for both monks and the lay people.
•    Dress appropriate: Shoulders, chests and legs should be covered.
•    Do not make physical contact with the monks.
•    Do not position yourself so your head is higher than the monks’ heads.
•    Do not make eye contact with the monks.
•    Do not touch the monks’ bowls while placing your offerings.

Top ideal places to enjoy Sunset in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang performs its attraction not only by its friendly people and nice landscape, but also overwhelmed tourists by the stunning of Mekong River over the sunshine. If you are such tired of sitting on car every time, or being heated all day on the road, let’s take a relaxation by a simple book, street fruit shake and straight your foot somewhere, enjoy the sunset, it may treat you well!
So, where can be your ideal place for sunset view? Take a look on below advises and you may need it during this summer!

1.    Phousi Mountain
This place should be in the top of must-see in Luang Prabang. For both local residence, and tourists, Phousi Hill is famous of its holy legend, and a small challenge with 328 steps, for those want to obtain the panorama view of whole ancient city and rivers. Of course, the best time enjoy sunset there, is from 5:00 to 5:30 in dry season (October to April) and 5:30 to 6:00 in rainy season (May to September).
Local people often buy some flower (frangipani or marigold), set on the ground as the offerings, and a small bird to release, wishing for the good luck, peace and happiness in the future.
After relax, visit ancient stupa of Wat That Chompsi, you could go down, enjoy your time of Night Bazaa exploration, or wandering along the street, cross Wat Sene at 06:30 pm and see the monks start to intone, among the holy sounds of bell, drum, while the last lights’ falling on the road.

 
2.    Bamboo Bridge to Dyen Sabai Restaurant
Enjoying sunset view on Bamboo Bridge is quite special and unforgettable. For who never step into a bamboo bridge, it could be a bit scared. However, it is totally not dangerous, if you pay attention and stick tightly to the handrails.
Crossing the bamboo bridge during the sun downs gives you a chance to see how the water changes its color into silver and golden. Watching fisherman and local people finish their daily work along the bank, and relax with the plenty perfume of herbs, oils from Dyen Sabai Restaurant & Spa.
The Bamboo Bridge is only presented during dry season, till the end of May, when the water level is lowest. The entrance fee is 5,000LAK per time, per person.

3.    “Mekong Beach”
“Mekong Beach” is the way people calling the sand ground lying along Nam Khan River and Mekong River, near Bamboo Bridge in Dyen Sabai. This large beach is quite dry during summer and people often come to play game, organize picnic weekend or some football, ultimate Frisbee (for foreign community).
If you want to spend some wandering, take some drink, and get down stair at the Burasary Café & bakery. Late afternoon is most suitable, when the weather is cooler, and you could see the sun downs in a pleasant and authentic way.

4.    Wat Prabath
Wat Prabath (or Chùa Phật Tích) is on the way to Phousi Market. This is one of the most unique, and perhaps somewhat garish, of Luang Prabang’s monasteries, as it combines elements of Thai, Lao and Vietnamese religious architecture. The Wat is on a site overlooking the Mekong River and is to the southwest (downstream) of Luang Prabang so “Sunset view” could be the most common phrase of people when coming there.
5.    Utopia Bar
Well, the most (probably) famous bar for foreigners in Luang Prabang, could be the Utopia. Whose ideal location on the bank of Nam Khan River, overlook to Old Bridge, stylish decoration with cozy atmosphere, plenty choice of drinks and snacks, Utopia is the highlight of almost “Sunset Tour” for those dream of a lazy treatment. When the light on is time for a small yoga club outdoor. You could attend with 50,000LAK per time, or continuing your chat as an audience is no problem!
6.    Nava Mekong Cruise
Nava Mekong Cruises offers you a package of dining while sunset. With a reasonable price, you could easily book a table on the fully-equipped traditional boat, cruising on the Mekong River, enjoy dinner and plus traditional dance with a large view of Mekong during sunset.

7.    Maison Dalabua Terrace Pond View
Maison Dalabua Terrace Pond View is one of my favorite places when I pass the Photisath Road at the sunset time. This open bar is pretty easy to access and appalling enough for some soft drinks before dinner. The pond with wooden bridge-road, flowered by seasonal lotus and water lily brings a boutique feeling for everyone in such a touched afternoon. I assure you could see the sun shadow on the surface, otherwise, after some beers, you may believe that!