WAX CASTLE IN THAILAND
To mark the end of Buddhist Lent or ( Ok Pansa ), Communities in Northeastern Thailand or ( I-San ) stage an annual celebration consisting of a grand procession of meticulously carved wax castles, Long-boat races and festive celebrations. On the final day of the festival which falls on the end of the Buddhist Lent, Local residents make a trip to the temples to make merit.
This ancient folk tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. Over the centuries, The tradition has evolved. Originally, ornate wax trees carved out of poles of beeswax were presented to temples along with other merit-making ritual offerings. Contemporary offerings consist of elaborate designs and sophisticated shapes and forms. Beeswax is molded into miniature Buddhist temples and shrines or wax castles.
The significance of the merit-making ritual is based on the Buddhist concept of reincarnation, the belief that upon death, an individual passes on to another life. According to Buddhist teachings, It is believed that a person's destiny is determined by meritorious acts or good deeds performed in the present life.
If individuals conscientiously observe and practice Buddhist principles by performing good deeds and by engaging in acts of Buddhist devotion, Individuals earn and accumulate merit during their lifetime. Depending on the merit they have earned, in subsequent lives, individuals progress to the point where they attain spiritual enlightenment and reside in the upper tiers of heaven or are re-born into a life that is worse than the last.
The practice also constitutes a form of ancestor worship. The wax castle itself is symbolises the ideal spiritual residence devout Buddhists aspire to in their future life. Based on this belief, making merit by presenting offerings to monks evolved as a Buddhist ritual known as 'tak baht'. The 'baht' being the bowl in which the alms and offerings presented to the monks are placed.
It is also believed that one earns more merit by taking part in communal merit-making. There is strength in numbers, especially when individuals blessed with merit come together and collectively join in the pursuit of good deeds. The annual wax castle procession is a special time for family reunions with relatives reunited in merit-making activities, sharing in goodwill as well as good times.
Community resources are pooled and monks and community members join hands to craft these ornate wax castles as merit-making offerings and to stage a grand ceremony and festive celebrations – a notable expression of Buddhist devotion and one which strengthens the bond between the village temple and the community it serves.