plowing ceremony
bangkok | thailand | travelled in 2012 | posted on may 30, 2012
which feed will the holy oxen prefer this year? this is probably the most important question at the annual royal ploughing ceremony.
every year in may this ritual initiates the sowing of the rice. watchedby thousands of farmers who have travelled from all over the country, a high official of the ministry of agriculture ploughs on the royal square sanam luang in bangkok and then puts the first rice seeds of the seasoninto the soil.
afterwards, the holy oxen, who pulled the plough, are offered seven bowls filled with rice, beans, corn, fruit, hay, water and an alcoholic drink. the spectators watch the oxen eating with great excitement, because the feed the oxen choose first brings particularly good yields in the coming season.
unfortunately, there was not much to see of the ploughing ceremony - the field was closed to the public. only important dignitaries had a seat next to the event. all the other spectators could only watch the ceremony from a great distance. but as soon as the ceremony was finished, the barriers were removed and the farmers stormed the field to collect som of the sown rice grains as it promises a particularly good harvest if those are mixed with their own seeds.
this year the oxen have chosen to eat hay...