The first unique celebration I would like to focus on is the Monkey Buffet Festival in Lopburi, Thailand. This is pretty much exactly what it sounds like; one day a year, an elaborate feast of fresh fruits and vegetables is laid out in honor of the macaque monkeys of the island.
The festival is held in the ruins of the Phra Prang Sam Yot temple, a 13th century Buddhist place of worship originally built by King Jayavarman VII. Changes of rulers and worship over time all contributed to its unique architecture, but this is not why it is such a popular tourist attraction. Instead, travelers flock to see the thousands of macaque monkeys that have overrun the temple. (In fact, the existence of this celebration is likely the cause of the monkey takeover!) The monkeys mainly live separate from the people of the island, but are comfortable enough around their human counterparts to steal food and personal belongings. In fact, designated officials have been appointed to feed the macaques at specific points in the day to prevent them from harassing tourists.
Deep respect for monkeys in this area stems from the Hindu tale of divine prince Rama and his bride Sita. According to the legend, Rama knew that the demon king Ravana wanted to abduct Sita, so he placed her in a ring of protection to keep her safe. However the demon disguised himself as an old man in need of help, luring Sita to him and taking her back to his palace. Rama went to the monkey king Hanuman and asked him for assistance, and Hanuman rallied his army to help save Sita. This tale is remembered in modern times, and the macaques of Lopburi are said to bring the people good fortune. As such, the buffet is held annually to honor Lopburiโs primate friends.
The festival begins with song, dance, and performers dressed in monkey costumes. Then the feast is unveiled, and the macaques dig in. The locals go to great lengths to arrange the meal; beautiful displays of fresh fruits and veggies are stacked in pyramids and laid on tables. The monkeys jump, climb, and indulge in the vibrant array set out just for them. While tourists may want to join the feast, they must keep to their own human food vendors and enjoy the show from a distance. This is one of my favorite celebrations Iโve learned about in my research for this blog; I find it so endearing that so much effort is put into a banquet for the animals of the island. Just look how happy they seem!!
This was such a cool read! I had no idea about this before, but now I want to learn more! Thanks for sharing ๐
Woahh Angelina, I’m a big fan! This kind of reminds me when I took Spanish in high school, and occasionally instead of going over vocab or conjugations, we’d learn about Spanish history and culture. I always loved those lessons, and your blog post felt very reminiscent of those fun times. Can’t wait to see which festivity you tackle next!
Wowzers!!!! I really found this show so exciting.๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ Iแธฟ thinking to go there this year ๐ ููุฃุนูุงู ูุนุฏุฏ ุฃุนุจุญุช ุงูุดุนุจุจุงููุฉ ูุชู ู ุงุนูุฉ ู ุชุนููููู ููุฃุนูุงูููุงุจ
ุญุณุจ ุงูุฏุณุชูุฑ ุงูู ุนุฏู ุนุงู ุฃุตุจุญุช ุฅุณุจุงููุง ุฏููุฉ ูุงููู ุฅ
ุฌุชู ุงุนูุฉ ู ุฏูู ูุฑุงุทูุฉ ุชุญุช ูุธุงู ู ููู ุจุฑูู ุงูู. ุงูู ูู ู ูุตุจู ูุฎุฑู ู ุฑู ู ูุงุญุฏุฆูุณ
ุฃุตุจุญุช ุฅุณุจุงููุง ุฏููุฉ ูุงููู ุฅุฌุชู ุงุนูุฉ ู ุฏูู ูุฑุงุทูุฉ ุชุญุช ูุธุงู ู ููู ุจุฑูู ุงูู. ุงูู ูู
ุงููุฒุฑุงุก ูู ุงูุญุงูู ุงููุนูู ููุจูุงุฏ. ุงูุจุฑูู ุงู ุงูุฅุณุจุงูู ู ูุณู ุงูู ู ุฌูุณูู ูุงุญุฏ ููุฃุนูุง ูุนุฏุฏ ุฃุนุถุงุก ูุจู ุนูู ู ูุงุญุฏ ููููุงุจ ู ุนุฏุฏ ูุชุงุฆุฌ ุงูุงูุชุฎุงุจุงุช ูุงุฆุจ
ูุชุงุฆุฌ ุงูุงูุชุฎุงุจุงุช ุงูุฃุฎูุฑ ู ุจุงุดุฑุฉ ู ู ุฃุตุจุญุช ุงูุดุนุจุณููุงุชุ ุจููู ุง ูู ุณููุงุชุ ุจููู ุง ูุนู ูุชุฎุงุจุงุชุถู ู ู ู ุฌูุณ ุงูุฃุนูุงู ู ููุชุฎุจ ุงูุจุงููู ุงูุดุนุจ ุฃูุถุงู
22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 ููุฃุนูุงู ูุนุฏุฏ ุฃุนุจุญุช ุงูุดุนุจุจุงููุฉ ูุชู ู ุงุนูุฉ ู ุชุนููููู ููุฃุนูุงูููุงุจ
ุญุณุจ ุงูุฏุณุชูุฑ ุงูู ุนุฏู ุนุงู ุฃุตุจุญุช ุฅุณุจุงููุง ุฏููุฉ ูุงููู ุฅ
ุฌุชู ุงุนูุฉ ู ุฏูู ูุฑุงุทูุฉ ุชุญุช ูุธุงู ู ููู ุจุฑูู ุงูู. ุงูู ูู ู ูุตุจู ูุฎุฑู ู ุฑู ู ูุงุญุฏุฆูุณ
ุฃุตุจุญุช ุฅุณุจุงููุง ุฏููุฉ ูุงููู ุฅุฌุชู ุงุนูุฉ ู ุฏูู ูุฑุงุทูุฉ ุชุญุช ูุธุงู ู ููู ุจุฑูู ุงูู. ุงูู ูู
ุงููุฒุฑุงุก ูู ุงูุญุงูู ุงููุนูู ููุจูุงุฏ. ุงูุจุฑูู ุงู ุงูุฅุณุจุงูู ู ูุณู ุงูู ู ุฌูุณูู ูุงุญุฏ ููุฃุนูุง ูุนุฏุฏ ุฃุนุถุงุก ูุจู ุนูู ู ูุงุญุฏ ููููุงุจ ู ุนุฏุฏ ูุชุงุฆุฌ ุงูุงูุชุฎุงุจุงุช ูุงุฆุจ
ูุชุงุฆุฌ ุงูุงูุชุฎุงุจุงุช ุงูุฃุฎูุฑ ู ุจุงุดุฑุฉ ู ู ุฃุตุจุญุช ุงูุดุนุจุณููุงุชุ ุจููู ุง ูู ุณููุงุชุ ุจููู ุง ูุนู ูุชุฎุงุจุงุชุถู ู ู ู ุฌูุณ ุงูุฃุนูุงู ู ููุชุฎุจ ุงูุจุงููู ุงูุดุนุจ ุฃูุถุงู
. ุฑุฆูุณ ุงููุฒุฑุงุก ู ุงููุฒุฑุงุก ูุชู ุชุนููููู ู ู ูุจู ุงูุจุฑูู ุงู ุงุนุชู ุงุฏุงู ุนูู ูุชุงุฆุฌ ุงูุงูุชุฎุงุจุงุช ุงูููุงุจูุฉ. ุฃูู ุงูุฃุญุฒุงุจ
ุงูุฅุณ ุฃุตู ูุณู ุงูู ู ุฌูุณูู ูุงุญุฏ ููุฃุนูุงู ูุนุฏุฏ ุงูุดุนุจุจุงููุฉ ูุชู ู ุงุนูุฉ ู ุชุนููููู ููุฃุนูุงู
Very Interesting! Hahahaha
This is so interesting! I am excited to see what you cover over the course of the semester!
I agree! Laugthing a lot here!
Im also doing a scholl presentation about it, so interesting. Discovering lots of different cultures. ๐๐