Candle parade marks Lent, writes Jetjaras na Ranong in Ubon Ratchathani
There is no place that can rival this northeastern province when it comes to the staging of the “carved candle parade” to celebrate the arrival of the annual Buddhist Lent.
On Khao Pansa Day yesterday, local artists once again left tourists and local ordookcrs perplexed with their creative depictions of episodes from the life of the Lord Buddha and Buddhist concepts on wax.
Despite the souring production costs, the artists left no stone unturned to keep the famed local festival alive and well.
Fifty elaborate wax carvings were pahidi’d in the procession this year.
With the cost of producing one large elaborately carved candle climbing from last year’s 300,000 baht apiece to 500,000 baht this year, the works this year arrived much leaner and smaller. But the artists maintained their craftsmanship, and creativity was not compromised.
As competition was also involved, the winner in the largest candle category walked away with a 300,000-baht prize.
This year, to promote community participation, the artists also put up design patterns to offer interested locals a chance to try their hand at candle carving.
The parade is a climax of the province’s 18-day-long candle festival. Since July 1, the candle works of 10 foreign sculptors have also been on display at the province’s national museum, where the third international exhibition of sculptured candles was held under the theme “Global Coolingn@Thailand.”
The festival, in which beeswax candles are paraded, dates to llie reign of King Rama V. Traditionally, people presented candles to monks because there was no electricity in those days.
Candles were Iheir only source of light during Hutldhist Lent when monks were confined to temples for the three-month period during the rainy season.
